


Luna et stellae

by cherrymarked



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angry Kissing, Betrayal, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Hate Sex, Manipulative Tom Riddle, Overprotective, Possession, Possessive Tom Riddle, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Slytherin, Slytherin Harry Potter, Smut, Trauma, Young Tom Riddle
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-18 03:48:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 32
Words: 60,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29603385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cherrymarked/pseuds/cherrymarked
Summary: "I would challenge death himselfif it meant I could spend foreverwith you."Harry Potter dead. The wizarding world lost.Lyra was sent back with the goal of ending the boy who would one day become Voldemort and create catastrophe in the wizarding world.But what happens when her memories of his true identity become lost upon her arrival to the past?Would she be able to recover them just in time......or was it already too late?
Comments: 5
Kudos: 44





	1. Chapter 1

October 1999.

It was cold. Colder than most days since the war had started. Lyra was sitting by a window watching as the rain heavily poured down, following the droplets with her finger one after another.

She had never expected the downfall the wizarding world would have faced after the death of Dumbledore. But then again it leaves her to wonder, if Dumbledore was alive, would the outcome of everything be different, or would have it not mattered.

She looked over at Hermione who was sitting on the opposite end of the room in an awful old armchair staring down onto the floor. They weren't friends, not at Hogwarts and not during the war. But yet they shared a common goal, to kill Voldemort.

The house was quiet, and the silence was maddening. Lyra couldn't take it anymore. She needed to get away from all the anger, the sadness, the pain. She needed an escape just for a short while.

"Where are you going?" Hermione gently spoke, her gaze still on the floor.

"The muggle world, I just" she sighed heavily, "I just need to be around normal civilization 'Mione, I understand we're all going mad with the current state of this world and call me selfish but just an hour is what I need. You're more than welcome to come along."

"No, Ron might need me, you know I can't leave him for too long."

Lyra walked towards her and went to her knees when Hermione shifted to meet her eyes, "Hermione I understand you need to be there for him, but don't act as a sponge soaking up other people's feelings and responsibilities, it's alright to be selfish sometimes."

A small faint smile formed on Hermione's lips, "Maybe next time I'll come with you but not today, it's too soon. Please just make sure they don't catch you"

Lyra gave a gentle nod and returned her with a smile. There was no point in arguing with her, Hermione let everyone use her and never allowed herself to break away for a while, at the end of the day she too was human and needed time to herself.

She left their room and made her way downstairs, making sure her wand was strapped under her sleeve if she needed to quickly access it.

"It's not safe."

Neville. The only friend she had there, the only friend that she loved that was alive today.

"At this point Neville, if they catch me I'm no use to them, they can't enter my mind and with torture, I'll never give anything up. Most likely I'll end up dead which is better than how I've been living these past 2 years." She didn't turn to look at him, she knew if she was to face Neville and look into his sad eyes Lyra wouldn't be able to walk out that door.

"You'll come back, right?" She finally broke and turned to face him, taking small steps towards Neville. Taking his hand into both of hers, the look in his eyes just the same as everyone else's, sadness, defeat, loneliness.

"You know for you, I'll always come back. Just an hour no more." A sincere smile appeared across her face but all Neville did was nod and walk away from Lyra.  
She stood there for a second remembering the joyous shy boy who always enthusiastically spoke about plants and herbs. How even though when she was a first year Slytherin and he a third year Gryffindor they created an amazing friendship despite his whole house thinking she shared the same pure-blood ideology as most of the Slytherin households.

She broke free from her thoughts and apparated to the little cafe in the corner of a quiet street. A place she's been coming to since the war began to break free from the hell she and many others are forced to live in. To guarantee her safety and the muggles who worked here, she was forced to obliviate them after each and single visit. Lyra found herself sad again, how she's known the workers for 2 years but to them every time she was a new stranger.

As she sat taking a sip of her tea she looked outside the cafe window to see people laughing and have a joyous smile on their faces. She missed the sound of laughter, she missed her somewhat normal life. After a while she paid for her tea, obliviated the worker, and made her way down the street. Checking her watch she realized she had quite sometime before the hour mark came up and was dragged back to her reality.

Wandering the streets of London Lyra had one thought on her mind that always appeared to haunt her mind. What were Harry's last moments like in that forest? An answer one may never know. She had grown to like the boy just before his grim death 2 weeks prior. They got along and shared many similar qualities together, in some alternate reality if Harry was to be sorted into Slytherin or her in Gryffindor the two could've been an amazing pair of friends.

But Harry never shared her beliefs in fighting fire with fire. Their enemies didn't shed lightly when faced in battle with them, and neither should they have. But he wanted to remain good, he wanted to remain better than Voldemort and his followers.

Lyra's thoughts became disturbed when she bumped into a stranger, "My apolog-" she froze looking into the stranger's eyes. Before reaching for her wand she found herself being dragged into an alley by a figure twice her size.

Being dragged by Draco Malfoy.

Just to clear up any confusion, the war began when Lyra was 14, she turned 16 in July, which makes Neville, Draco, Hermione, Ron and Harry 18 years old.


	2. Chapter 2

“Before you bloody scream or try to kill me you need to listen and listen very carefully. I'm going to take my hand off your mouth, do you understand." The boy who now appeared to her as a man had changed quite drastically.

His eyes were sunk in, and his face white as his hair but there was something else that seemed so foreign to her something she couldn't quite figure out. The 2 old friends now enemies due to their siding of the war, now stand in an alley waiting to see if one would try to kill another.  
Draco lowered his hand and before she could speak, "You know as well as I that I never wanted this. I never wanted to be a death eater or be a part of The Dark lords vision."

"Yet you stayed on his side, yet you kill and work for him, Draco. Apologies I meant Lieutenant." Lyra wanted nothing more than to hit him, to curse and shout at him but she was too tired.

"Listen to me Lyra, you are the only person in that crusade of yours that's willing to take extreme measures. We don't have much time before I'm summoned, but you need to stop it all."

"Don't you think I've tried Draco, bloody hell that's all we've been trying do for the past 2 ye-"

"No you don't understand." He took a step back pulling out a green vial, an envelope and a small gold necklace. A time turner. "You need to stop it all from the beginning, I know you and my mother have been in contact for weeks now. She told me to give these to you and that you'll know what you have to do. I don't agree with this plan you 2 have been constructing, it's dangerous and foolish. But I've come to realize it's the only option left now that Potters is dead."

Narcissa had told him about their partnership. But Lyra was confused, the only thing they've talked about was ways she could kill Voldemort by a surprise attack. A day, time and location was to be provided to her, one that she would finally attempt to kill him once and for all. She blinked in confusion staring at the items Draco had held out, when the realization hit her.

"That's not possible, your mother wants me to travel to whatever year and do what? Kill baby Voldemort? We both know we can't time travel that far, don't you remember learning that our bodies won't be able to handle that pressure." she let out a small laugh and couldn't help realize she sounded like Hermione.

  
"Specifically 1943, we know roughly that's when his first Horcrux was made. You need to kill him Lyra, you'll be able to prevent this all from happening. That's what the potion is for, my mother made it to guarantee you'll get there safely with no physical damage, unfortunately, the side effects are still unknown, but you have to leave right now." he sounded as if he was begging her to accept.

"Right now? I can't leave without telling Neville goodbye. He'll think I was captured or dead, I can't do that to him Draco please." No, she can't leave like this, she told Neville she'd be back , she told Hermione she would come back. Leaving like this would make matters, even more, worse at the house.

But on the other hand she can prevent this, stop all this from happening, the decision put too much pressure on her. If she stays, thousands if not millions more die, if she leaves she could end up failing and die in 19 fucking 43 and millions still die.

"What's in the envelope." she said softly, playing with the ring that rested upon her thumb.

  
"My mother created an identity for you to ensure you'll be safe. There is also a password and vault number of a secret account that's been sitting in gringotts since 1932, it still till today hasn't been touched, you will have more money that you could possibly need until you come back." He hesitated before speaking out his next words. " Your new name is Lyra Lenkrov."

"Oh so suddenly I'm fucking russian just cause I know how to speak the language, since I'm a parselmouth too want to turn me into a cobra while you're at it? And also, wouldn't it be strange that a russian has a british accent?" she crossed her arms in annoyance and rolled her eyes.

"You're smart, you can think of something. The identity is so no one questions why you're a complete stranger in the wizarding world. We didn't have time to complete a whole life story. As of right now we're also running out of time. Will you do this or not?"

"If this doesn't work and I die, I wan-"

"You won't die." He cut her off before she could finish the rest of her sentence. Which earned him a slap on the chest.

"As I was saying, if I do die, please in some way tell Neville I'm sorry and that I will forever be grateful for our friendship." she held his hand and left out a sigh, "I'm also grateful for our friendship Draco, thank you." she placed a gentle kiss on his cheek knowing very well Draco could be the last person she sees or speaks to in 1999.

She popped open the vial and chugged it down, after waiting a few seconds she felt fine and felt nothing different. She snatched the envelope and tucked it into the inside pocket of her coat, Draco placed the time turner onto her neck with the date already set.

  
"Wait, you can't go dressed like that." Draco pulled out his wand, which caused Lyra to react and reach for hers. "I'm not going to hurt you, I just need to change what you're wearing."

She stood still as he cast a spell and was changed into a pair of black trousers, a white t-shirt, a small dainty pair of heels and her coat still the same. "No, I am not wearing heels." She pulled out her wand and waved it over her heels, leading her boots to reappear.

"I highly doubt they had Doc Martens in the 40's Lyra. You have to be-" he looked back up at her and noticed a glare. " I guess there's no point in arguing with a stubborn woman such as you."

"Remember Lyra that time works differently, you could be in the 40's for a year or two but in our time you'll only be gone for months." He rested his hands on her shoulders to help calm the nerves she possibly has. The two exchanged a few looks silently, they had no idea if this would work or not, but it gave both a glimmer of hope that this present could be prevented.

  
Lyra looked at Draco one last time before turning the time turner.  
1.

2.

3.

4.


	3. Chapter 3

It felt as if her soul was being sucked out, her head was spinning and it felt as if her whole body was being ripped apart from different directions.

Lyra opened her eyes to find herself laying on a cold stone floor, in a little street. Her head was pounding and her nose was bleeding, but other than that she was physically alright. Gathering up her strength she attempted to pull herself up and leaned against a wall. The strange thing is she recognized these walls and the path that laid before her.

Diagon Alley.

A place she's been to a million times to purchase books, quills, parchment and would even sneak off out of Hogwarts with Draco and Blaise to come explore the streets while getting drunk off of Blaises ever long-lasting flask.

The memories of her time here flooded her immensely causing an even more severe head throb.

  
She pulled herself together and continued to walk down the stone path, where it was revealed Diagon Alley was once again the joyous place it used to be. With witches and Wizards flooding the areas. Happiness, laughter, and tunes playing. Children running around with their parents following right behind them.

Normal. It all seemed so normal.

The date. Lyra needed to find out if she successfully came to 1943, if she or Draco messed up there's no way for her to travel again without the potion. Running into the closest shop she saw, Ollivanders, walking in, quickly found herself being greeted by Garrick Ollivander. He stared at her for a moment, examining her.

"Good evening, apologies but I've been traveling for a few days and have seemed to forget the date. What's today?"

He looked exactly the same as she saw him for the first time in 1994 but his hair was a bit shorter.

"Are you looking for a wand Miss?"

"No I have a wand, thank you but could you tel-"

"May I see your wand then."

Growing impatient, she needed to know if this plan worked but nonetheless she pulled out her wand and handed it to Ollivander. He pulled the wand up to the light and examined it, bending it ever so lightly, and a shock came onto his face.

" 11 inches, phoenix core? and made of Acacia..." Ollivander stared at the wand and back at the owner. A smile crept across his face. "Acacia wood wands are the rarest of rares. I usually reserve them for special wizards. And it seems this model hasn't been sold yet at this time."

Lyra panicked, she's been here all of 10 minutes and had her cover blown. She started thinking of ways to lie to him, to explain the reasoning behind her wand.

"It seems you're here to do something very important, I will not get in the way of that. Your wand is extremely powerful, I hope I made the right decision in revealing this wand to you, whenever it may be. As for the date Miss, it's August 2, 1943." He handed her back the wand and disappeared in the towering shelves leaving her all alone.

August 2, 1943.

August 2, 1943.

The idiot sent her back almost a month before Hogwarts even began. Was it intentional or was it an accident? If only she swore and hit him when she had the chance to. She has no place to stay, knows no one, and has no way to contact anyone in the future.

"Might I suggest heading over to Gringotts?" She heard Ollivander speak hidden in the shelves.

That's right the envelope.Taking it out from her coat and quickly opening the package, to reveal her new identity, the information on the vault in Gringotts, a vault key and a letter? Draco hadn't told her there was a letter along as well.

_Lyra,_   
_If this worked you're in 1943, I hadn't told you this but I set the time turner to set you a little bit before Hogwarts resumed. This gives you an opportunity to work on your identity and get used to the year there for a while before you begin as a student. You probably want to curse and hit me but I needed to be sure you would do this. I've organized a small flat for you to stay at as long as needed with a very old family friend of my mother's. Neither the Black nor Malfoy family know of this property so you'll be safe to reside in it until you finish. Don't worry about any expenses as I've said the vault has more money than you could need. Stay safe and come home soon. The address is written at the back of the letter._   
_D.M_

He knew, he planned this without giving her any warning. But after the encounter with Ollivander maybe he was right. She needed to brush up on her identity and combat an answer for any question to be asked about her. Frustrated she looked at the vault password and number and encrypted it into her brain with the key resting upon her neck.

Mors nos omnes capiet. Death will take us all.

Walking into Gringotts immediately all eyes on her. The goblins sensed something off and their gaze felt off-putting. Lyra cleared her throat and made her way down to the end.

" I'd like to enter my fault number 84." On the outside it was deemed Lyra calm and collected, but on the inside, she felt her chest hollow and a sense of panic overrided her. Goblins were smart creatures, and if one discovers her true identity she would have no choice but to take drastic measures to protect her secret.

"That vault hasn't warranted a visitor for over 10 years and is on the highest of levels meaning only purebloods could enter, Miss?"

"Lenkrov, Lyra Lenkrov, and I am quite aware the vault hasn't been touched seeing as I have been away from London for a very long time. I have both my key and password. My blood status will ensure I am allowed to enter"

After examining her and the key that laid on her neck the goblin showed a smile, one she knew was a fake.

  
"Right this way then Miss Lenkov." She followed him and another goblin and rode down to vault 84.

  
"Key please." the second goblin asked of her. Lyra took the key off and handed it to him. Where he then unlocked the door, but she couldn't get in without the password. The goblin then went and sat back down in the compartment so that she may say her password and handle whatever business was needed.

"Mors nos omnes capiet." almost quieter than a whisper, barely audible. But then the vault opened and allowed herself to be entered. She knew Draco said the vault had quite some amount of money, but what she was not expecting was the entire vault to be covered from gold head to toe. How has no one touched this vault since 1932? Did his family just forget about it? or is this nothing compared to their main vaults.

500 Galleons, it's all she needed and could make it last for an entire year. Loading the money into her velvet green pouch and placed it into her coat along with the vault key.

The sun was going to set soon, she needed to rest and was awfully hungry. After apperating to the flat Draco provided for her, she could not believe her eyes.

  
The estate was not as small as she imagined but quite large and beautiful. If this is what a small flat is to Draco, the two definitely have different definitions of small. The stained glass windows that reflected off beautiful colors when the sun hit it at just the right angles, the vines that wrapped around the stone building both inside and outside indicated it hasn't been occupied for what seems to be quite some time. The large paintings that seemed to be present at every corner. It smelled of old books and lavender that wrapped around the estate along with primroses and sunflowers. She stood there in the center awed and taking it all in, never having lived or even stayed somewhere as beautiful and breathtaking by herself.

It reminds her of the times she would stay over at the Malfoys during summer thanksgiving and Christmas break. How every morning her nose was greeted with the sweet smell of fresh baked goods and coffee. Mixed with the scent of flowers and trees that swayed in the wind and the leaves that would perish one by one when fallen, the bright garden with decorative fountains that Malfoy manor was famous for. Draco wouldn't allow her to ever go back to the orphanage after seeing the scars and bruises her body would present after coming back from Thanksgiving break during her first year.

She was no longer Lyra Viotto born July 18, 1983. She was Lyra Lenkrov now born July 18, 1927.

Laying down on the couch and silently sobbing, she never cried not when Dumbledor died, not when Harry died but thinking about how the boy who was like a brother to her whose family treated her as a daughter. Tried to kill her and many others she knew, but Lyra knew that he had no choice, if she had family as well she would've done the same to ensure their safety.

The fate of millions was rested upon her shoulders, it all came down to her killing.....

To her killing.....

Lyra sat up trying to gather her thoughts in a frenzy, why can't she remember. She remembers everything about her being here, to stop Voldemort before any Horcruxes were made, to end him. But can't she remember what his name was or the way she looked not one thing about him?

THINK. THINK. THINK.

Her heart started pounding at an alarming rate it felt as if the air was sucked right out of her, Lyra couldn't breathe and clutched her chest tightly.


	4. Chapter 4

August 11, 1943

Nearly a week had passed since her arrival here and she was nowhere close to succeeding. She had tried nearly every spell, every potion she could think of to help regain her memories. But no luck at all. Either the potion has one dreadful side effect or the strain of traveling back 57 years caused her brain to suppress the most important memory.

She finds herself again sitting at a table at the Three Broomsticks for the 6th day in a row with a bottle of firewhiskey and a cigarette with the haunting memories of what happened on her first day here replaying in her head like clockwork. She laid out all the facts that she was certain were true.

Smoking her third cigarette in the hour, a nasty habit Lyra picked up. She wanted to pull her hair from frustration, she had found a way to enter Hogwarts, perfected her backstory but the final element in which she needed was gone.

" You Malfoy's thinking you're oh so better than the rest of us just because of your family name." a man slurred loudly that turned the attention of many in the pub.  
Malfoy. Draco's grandfather was here. She turned to see Malfoy sitting all by himself with a bottle as well, anyone with eyes could tell he was a Malfoy with the bleached white hair making him stand out. But the drunken man's words did not seem to phase him at all. This was it, this was the moment Merlin had blessed her with, an opening into one of Voldemort's most loyal followers. Lyra stood up hiding her wand at her side and made her way to the 2 men that surrounded Malfoy.

"Malfoy! Good Merlin, I've been waiting 20 minutes for you, and all this time you've been at the pub." she reached in for a hug and whispered in his ear " just go with it unless you want to be beaten to a bloody pulp." she pulled away from the hug and a few glances were exchanged between the two. After a few seconds, Malfoy stood up and pulled her into a tightening hug, and started laughing.

" Why you silly women, I've been thinking this whole time we were to meet here, nonetheless shall we leave, Lestrange is expecting us." he looped their arms together and were making their way to the door.

"S'cuse me Miss but I was having a word with the boy here, why don't you bugger off whore." The drunk reeked of alcohol and smelled as if he hadn't showered in days.

"You know there's nothing more I despise than a man who has no manners towards a woman you smelly foul toad." Lyra knew exactly what she was doing, she was deliberately picking a fight with him right now. After seeing Malfoy let out a small laugh she knew it was working.

" Got quite the pretty little mouth on you." the second drunk spoke, grabbing her arm. In that second Lyra pushed the man onto the table and pulled out her wand pressed right against his neck.

"My friend Malfoy here is a calm man you see, but I on the other hand have quite the short temper. Maybe a spell would teach you not only some manners, but to know how to talk to those above you. Perhaps the cruciatus curse?" a sinister smile took over her face. She needed to make this as believable as possible.

" Th- That's illegal, you can't use that spell." he was scared, Lyra heard the fear in his voice.

" Shall we see if I can or can't cast the spell? It has been a while since I've used it, I might need to brush up on it."

She let go of the man and the 2 frantically apologized to Malfoy and herself saying they were way out of line, quickly making their way out of the pub. Lyra said nothing and returned to her seat with a bottle and cigarette. From the corner of her eye, she saw him making his way towards her. It had worked.

He pulled the chair sitting across from her placing his bottle down, looking quite offended "So you hug me, help me, threaten to use the cruciatus on those men, and then leave all without telling me your name?"

" I don't give my name out to strangers." she opened her metal cigarette holder and placed one between her lips, she looked up at Malfoy to see him offering a light. Leaning just in the slightest he lit her cigarette as well as his own.

"How will I thank you then for saving my life."

"This was a good enough thanks." she referenced the lighter. But Malfoy couldn't leave well enough alone. He smiled at her and took a swing of his drink. " Seeing as we're "friends" it would be quite rude of me to not invite a friend to my family ball." he pulled out a small black envelope with the Malfoy crest embedded onto the sealed wax and slid it across the table.

"I don't give you my name but you invite me into your home?" she raised an eyebrow at him and picked up the invitation examining the crest.

He stood up and walked to her side not breaking eye contact once, leaning over her he quietly muttered into her ear, "Something tells me you're full of surprises." he moved to face her once again, after a few seconds of him staying towered over her he picked up his lighter and placed it into her coat pocket. Without another word he gave her a smile, one she returned and left The Three Broomsticks.

August 18, 6 o'clock. In less than a week, she would be in a room with the man who one day becomes Voldemort. But she wouldn't even know that when that day arrives, it would change everything permanently.


	5. Chapter 5

August 18, 1943

She seemed nervous making her way up to Malfoy Manor, her once temporary home that became the headquarters for the Dark Lord and his followers. Will it be the same as it was in the future? She hoped it would be to feel a sense of security upon entering the home. She remembers the balls Narcissa would love to throw and how she would annoy her and Draco by taking them each and every time to the tailors.

Wearing a long black silk dress that wrapped around her neck and cut off at her sleeves and a silver snake bracelet wrapped around her bicep. Lyra secured her wand onto her thigh holster with the slit of the dress stopping at her mid-thigh. This seems appropriate for a 40's ball. Nothing compared to what she would wear back home.

  
She noticed one thing Malfoy had forgotten to mention, that it was a masquerade ball. Stopping in her tracks she noticed a broken rose laid upon the grass, picking it up, she looked around to make sure no one would see her cast a wandless spell, "metamorfóno" she watched as the rose turned into a mask and gently tied it across her face and continued her path.

Walking in the manor looked exactly like how she remembered it but there was a slight sense of unfamiliarity to it. She stood on top of the stairs gazing around the manor, in this place and time she was a stranger to this home. She turned to look down to see all eyes on her, she felt nervous, after all, she was trapped in a room with purebloods who deemed themselves better than half-bloods and those who are muggle-born.

She balled up her fist taking in a clump of her dress fabric, slightly lifting it up to not trip over while walking down the stairs. They were all her enemies, each and every single one of them will end up supporting The Dark Lord and bringing the wizarding world to a downfall.

Once she reached the bottom of the stairs a house-elf quickly rushed over to her side with a tray of beverages.

"Champagne Mistress?" he squeaked, visibly shaking, not daring to make eye contact with her. Covered in cuts, bruises, and bandages, she couldn't help remember Dobby, the house-elf who was kind to her and assisted her a great many amounts of times with her wounds. Lyra bent down to the elf and gently lifted up his chin, smiling at him,

"What is your name if I may ask?"

"Sabby, Mistress, Sabby is my name," he whispered and looked into her eyes and returned a smile back to her.

" I'm going to tell you something Sabby, but you have to promise not to tell anyone this. Do you think Sabby could do that?"

"Quite so Mistress, Sabby is good at keeping secrets."

" My name is Lyra Lenkrov, you're the only person here who knows this. Consider me a friend."

" A friend? Sabby has not had a friend before." he looked excited and wasn't scared to look at her anymore. "Mistress's name will be kept a secret with me."

The two smiled at one another, as Lyra stood up she patted his head, grabbed a glass of champagne off the tray, and walked away. She made her way by a window in which she looked out to see the statues her, Draco, and Blaise would constantly break during their duel battles. Or the number of times they've gotten drunk and tried to swim in the fountains. She dreadfully misses those days.

"Had an interesting conversation with the house-elf." Lyra turned her head to see a tall figure looking back at her with a glass of firewhiskey in his hand. He was beautiful, his face seemed to have been carved like a Greek statue, his hair was loose perfectly curled and his scarlet eyes pierced into hers. For some reason, in those mere seconds, the nervousness that washed over her seemed to fade away.

She turned to look out into the garden, taking a sip of her champagne, "Quite interesting it was, he told me all about the Malfoy generation secrets and how they have unicorns locked in their attics." they both let out a peal of small laughter.

"And who might you be?" he questioned, she could feel him staring at her.

"A stranger."

They both turned to the sound of glass shattering, "Idiots" he muttered under his breath. "Excuse me" and without another word, he left.

She wandered aimlessly around the manor and stopped to stare at the family portraits where one day Lucius' and Draco's portraits would hang. The men of the Malfoy family were highly valued. She noticed an older woman was standing next to her also admiring the portraits.

"No women? Have you noticed that?" Lyra spoke out.

"The Malfoy line has taken extreme measures to guarantee the male lineage never dies."

"Strange though isn't for a family to value one gender of another, all because what? Someone once deemed the male sex to be superior. I can't ever imagine myself getting married to find out I would only produce male heirs, the thought of never having a daughter breaks my heart a little." she looked down onto the floor.

She had always thought that one day she would get married and have kids, there was nothing else she wanted more than to build the family she never got to have.

A man walked over to the two, "Mrs. Malfoy you have set up the ball quite beautifully, once again you've outdone yourself."

"Why thank you, Adrian, it's always a pleasure to have you and your family over."

Mrs. Malfoy, she was speaking to Abraxas' mother and just blatantly disrespected her family and son.

"Mrs. Malfoy, my apologies I had no idea, again apologies I was disrespectful." she kept her gaze to the floor. She felt her chin be lifted and had her eyes meet Mrs. Malfoy, who was smiling at her, not angry, but smiling.

"I always wanted a girl, Merlin sake. I love my son to death, but the idea of having a daughter was something I wished for one day. I loved Actaeus too much to not marry him over a small problem such as this. So no apologies are in order here dear." She put her hand over Lyra's shoulder, gave it a gentle squeeze and turned her attention to the group of adults waiting on her.

Lyra turned to find herself eye to eye with Abraxas, even while wearing a mask she could tell it was him. He picked up her hand and bought it close to his lips just as Lyra pulled it away.

"And here I thought my good old friend wouldn't make it to my ball."


	6. Chapter 6

"And here I thought my good old friend wouldn't make it to my ball." he seemed almost certain she was going to come.

"Well I thought about it, and I didn't want to disappoint a dear old friend now would I." The last thing she needed was for Abraxas to tail her all night, she needed to quickly get rid of him.

He scoffed and looped their arms around each other and continued to guide her, he's a tough one to shake off, "Might I say you look absolutely beautiful, scandalous even." his head almost buried into her shoulder.

And so on Abraxas continued to show her around a manor she was all too familiar with. He introduced her to a few of the sacred 28 families in the wizarding world. Managing to shy away from some very invasive questions they shot at her and went through with the night without having to reveal her name once.

Lyra and Abraxas continued to talk about many random interests they both had, and found that they both had a favorite hobby. Drinking. Abraxas was just getting into telling her about his family estate in Italy when she noticed that everyone scurried around the ballroom, with whispers coming about from everyone. She nudged him, "What's this about?" raising an eyebrow at him then turned to glue her eyes to the boy standing in the middle of the ballroom taking off his suit jacket. The same boy she had a brief conversation with upon her arrival.

"It's entertainment, one may call it. Sometimes to relieve any stress or grudges might have on another, just before school begins we have a duel among the students. Most adults don't really partake in it so it's become a sort of tradition between the younger crowd." Abraxas took the glass of champagne from her hand and chugged it. "Honestly I think it's quite rubbish."

She knew that somewhere among the crowd the future Dark Lord was watching, she needed to prove herself to be powerful enough to join his ranks and destroy them from the inside. "Say Abraxas can anyone join to fight?"

"Just about anyone, the reality is this all a showcase for how powerful one is and how much they can humiliate their opponent, why ask?" he seemed now rather interested in her strange question.

"So I would be able to fight as well?" he stared at her then looked at the boy and back at her.

"Love, trust me you don't want to duel him." he laughed at her strange request.

Abraxas looked over to his side to grab two more glasses of champagne but when he turned his attention back to Lyra he saw that she was gone. Instead, she was standing right in front of the boy. She threw off her heels and unclasped her holster to take out her wand.

The boy stared at her for a moment and started to laugh, "Didn't know you were so eager to duel me, Miss...?"

"Well," she looked around the ballroom and bought her gaze back up to him, " No one else was stepping up, someone had to do it."

"I can quite assure you that you don't want to duel me. Sit this one out." he began to fold up his sleeves perfectly.

"Oh, is it because you're scared that a woman might best you." she began to mock him a little while tieing up her hair into a tight secure ponytail.

"It's a shame that a beautiful woman such as you might end up in a hospital bed oh so soon."

Lyra took a few steps towards him an inch away from his face and whispered, "Let's see who's the one to end up in the hospital shall we." and placed a gentle kiss on the palm of his cheek. As she was turning away the boy grabbed her waist and turned her to face him once again. His grip was strong and hurting her she placed her hand on top of his squeezing it just as hard. None of them said a word, instead, they stared at one another faces just a mere inch away.

Someone cleared their throat "Shall we begin then." but neither of them broke their stare. It wasn't until Abraxas headed over to the duo.

"Can you both knock it off and start already so dessert can be served." they both let go of their grips and stepped back, but their gaze not even for a second wavered away from one another. A protection barrier was cast to protect the guests from any stray curse or hex to slip and accidentally hit them.

She would not go easy on him, she had to prove that she'd do anything to win, even a small duel such as this one. The two stood wands up ready to duel one another.  
And so it began.

"Locomotor Mortis" he shouted, Lyra quickly dodged the spell and began to laugh.

"Locomotor Mortis? I didn't know I was dueling with a twelve-year-old, Alarte Ascendare." she pointed her wand at him causing the boy to fly backward. The adrenaline rushed to her head, it reminded her of the many battles she was in fighting for her life. Though she never cared to admit this, the adrenaline was the only thing keeping her sane throughout the war.

The boy clenched his jaw and fisted his hands in anger. Though his expression and posture remained calm, as if he had no care in the world. But in actuality he felt as if this stranger was mocking him, he needed to teach her a lesson. He stood up dusted himself off and fired,

"Bombarda." Lyra managed to once again dodge the spell but not before it hit her ankle, splitting the skin and with every nerve feeling as if it was caught on fire, causing her unbearable amount of pain.

She regained her balance, with anger exploding each and every single nerve of her body. She caught a slight smirk appear across his face, one which would only fade away with the next hex,

"Volans sagitta!" multiple arrows slid out of her wand, with ease he was able to build a shield but not before one arrow slightly crossed his face, drawing blood. It felt good Lyra thought to herself, to have the upper hand, to know a load of spells that haven't been created yet in this time. She had an advantage.

The boy's eyes shifted to a bright red crimson, but just for a second, one that didn't catch Lyra's attention. And so the pair stood there across from one another determined to either kill or gravely wound another. They were both breathing heavily, but not one of them let the other know of their tiredness and the pain both are in.  
"Sanguinisoculus !" this one she wasn't able to dodge so easily, her vision became blurry and she felt a hot liquid pour out of her eyes, blood, luckily for her, she knew the countermeasure spell for this. With a flick of her wand around her face and the bloody tears slowly slid up back into her eyes.

She's had enough. "minimo," caused a bright white light to emit from her wand blinding the boy for a few seconds before she fired her next spell. "Sectumsempra!" the hex hit him right in the arm causing him to scream from the spell she knew was all too horrid. The spell that once hit her hip, making her unable to walk for days and leaving a nasty zigzag scar. But much to her surprise the boy stood up bearing through the pain, he caught her off guard because she was sure he wouldn't be able to recover from this one.  
"Stupefy" and just like that her wand fell to her side, too far for her to reach for by the time he cast another spell.

"I'd say it's clear who the winner isn't it Miss Stranger?" he had no expression to his face, not even one to indicate the pain he was going through from her previous hex.  
"Just because I'm wandless it's unfair to assume you've won Pretty boy." one trick was still up her sleeve.

Flicking her wrist at him she yelled "Accio!" causing both his and her wand to fly into her hand. Quickly without wasting time she apparated right in front of him placing his wand on his neck and her's pressed against his ribs.

"I guess now it's clear who the winner is." they both heavily breathed, too tired and injured to continue this fight, and all for what. What she couldn't understand was why he was so stubborn to beat her.

The protective barrier was laid down and a merge of clapping was echoing around the ballroom. With his and her wand digging into him the boy once again grabbed her waist and her arm, squeezing with an insane amount of strength.

She lowered both hands and he let go of her waist.

This was a mistake. She shouldn't have done this, all she did was piss off one warlock and reveal how strong she really is. Dropping the boy's wand she realized she had to get out of the manor quickly. Backing away from him, all eyes on her she turned and began to run.

"Abraxas!" he yelled after and began to chase her. Along with 6 other boys.

"Is she part centaur, why is she running so fast?" she heard one of them say, out of breath.

"Shut it Mulciber and keep running."

"Right. Why exactly are we running after this woman?" Mulciber questioned but no one seemed to know the answer.

All the twists and turns wouldn't shake them off, they along with her knew the manor all too well. She came to a stop at a balcony on the highest floor of the manor, but it wasn't a dead end, she knew exactly what to do. Gathering up her dress she quickly stood on top of the ledge, ready to jump.

"Stop! Bloody hell." he wheezed "can we have a time out." There were seven among her. One against seven, they each held onto their wand, making Lyra grip onto her's even tighter.

"Love that was quite a show you put on back there, but come down from the ledge we only want to ask you a few questions." Abraxas took off his mask and offered her a helping hand taking a few steps towards her.

"Quite the show? You mean quite the marathon she put on." a slap across the chest was earned to the boy from one of the others.

Pointing her wand towards him Abraxas stepped back not wanting to anger her. In the moonlight she stood there completely weak, her ankle sending shocks of pain throughout her leg now that the adrenaline had worn off. If she had to she would push through the pain and fight each and every single one of them. 

A dry laugh emerged from Lyra, one that puzzled the boys. "As lovely as this has been, I think it's time I take my leave." drawing her attention at the scarlet eyed boy, " and thank you for the scar this might leave, such a shame I won't be able to wear heels for a while." 

Before anyone could say anything or do anything, she looked down once more , focused her gaze on the chiseled boy for the last time and jumped off the ledge, apparating mid air back into her flat.

Abraxas and the boys rushed to the ledge to find her gone, her body not plastered against the stone pavement but gone.

"Merlin I don't know who that was, but I think I'm in love with her."

The boys all looked at one another before collectively saying "Shut it Nott!"


	7. Chapter 7

August 31, 1943

2 weeks had gone by and for a certain fact, she knew that the boys were all looking for her. Word of an unknown, powerful, and curly-haired witch was circulating all around Diagon Alley, the events that had transpired at the Malfoy's became hot gossip in the wizarding world.

They couldn't find her just yet, the whole point of being nameless and essentially a ghost was important to her plan. For safety measures to ensure she won't run into Abraxas, the scarlet-eyed boy, or the rest of the boy's Lyra had no choice but to cast a simple disguise over her face every time she went out in public. It's not as if they would recognize her but it was uncertain whether the Malfoy heir shared his memories of the girl who helped him stop a pub fight. One always has to take extra precautions, that's what she had learned in the past 2 years.

One day was left until Hogwarts began, she had one of two options, either enter Hogwarts from the secret tunnel in honeydukes, where Abeforth, Dumbledore's brother ensures the safety of the tunnel that hid behind his sisters painting. Or try to enter the platform and take the train to Hogwarts, but both plans were uncertain and had their flaws. Abeforth might not allow her access to the tunnel and could try to kill her thinking she's trying to sneak in as a follower of Grindelwald, on the train, there could be too many questions asked about her there it also leaves a chance of her running into the boys with no way to escape.

"How is it you 6 idiots can't find 1 simple witch." He took a long drag from his cigarette. Riddle became annoyed and impatient, it's been 2 weeks since he was embarrassed and defeated by that curly-haired woman. He wanted to know who she was, why did she possess such powerful magic, but most importantly how did she beat him. Looking around with the table Malfoy, Nott, Lestrange, Rosier, Avery, and Mulciber were all sitting around him at The Three Broomsticks, each with a drink in their hand.

"She's not 1 simple witch Riddle, you saw what she did at the ball, more importantly, did you see how fast she was running, did she think we were going to kill her or something ?" Mulciber laughed at the memory of that night. " From conversing with house-elves to almost killing Riddle, quite the woman she is."

  
"What I'm curious about is Malfoy, how could you completely invite a stranger to the Manor, I mean you said it yourself she talked to your mother, wined, dined, gave quite the show all without even leaving her name." Lestrange leaned over the table with both elbows propped against the wooden table and took a sip of his drink.

  
Their attention turned from Riddle to Malfoy all waiting for the idiotic explanation he'd provide.

"She was attractive, strong, and threatened to use the cruciatus in order to help me, did I also mention she was attractive." he smiled at the boys, trying to lighten up the mood.

Tom slammed his glass on the table, causing a reaction from the boys. "Did you ever not once think she did it to get proximate to you, what if that was her orchestration, get close to a potent wizarding family, place herself at the ball, and endeavor something."

"Riddle's right Malfoy what if she was planning something. Merlin's beard what if she was working for Grindelwald." Lestrange sounded equally as frustrated as Riddle.

"I highly doubt her plan was to converse with the help and then show off her powers in a duel she had no idea was impending Lestrange." Abraxas gripped his glass on the verge of it shattering.

Rosier placed his hand over Malfoys shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze "Enough you two, stop it people can hear us. This isn't the place to discuss things like this. Remember we're here to see if she'll show up."

Madam Rosmerta the owner of The Three Broomsticks had informed the boys that she had become quite the regular in the previous weeks, but that it had been days since she last saw her. When asked about her name or any sort of information about her. Madam Rosmerta drew blank, stating that she always paid with a galleon and never shared one thing about herself, the only thing she knew was that the girl had traveled there recently.

She's all Tom could think about, and the same goes for Lyra. The pair constantly thought about one another, wondering who they were and what power both displayed. Both didn't hesitate to use brutal spells, to do anything to win.

He thought about her eyes, and how her smile would not well hide the darkness and emptiness in them. Even though she presented herself to be kind, and flashed a smile to everyone she looked at during the ball. He knew that it was all an act and that her true self was the one she displayed during their duel. But why was she there? What was her purpose in befriending the Malfoy boy and scoring an invite to a ball where the most powerful families would be attending?

And so the boys sat in silence, while Riddle had his head clouded with memories of her, waiting to see if she'd show. But what they didn't know was the clever witch was sitting in the pub all along, disguised, pleased with herself while she watched the boys frantically and nervously wait for her arrival.


	8. Chapter 8

Sept 1, 1943

Today was the day. Encrypting the final touches of her identity, running through every story 5, 6, 7 times to make sure it was absolutely perfect. She had thought of every question that might be presented and had an answer to turn the topic quickly down.

The story she had perfected was that Lyra was an orphan, this was true, born in Russia and raised in a muggle orphanage until she was 7 years old. There are no records of her time there due to her having an outburst of magic causing a fire to begin out of her control burning everything and everyone down. The outburst was powerful enough for a nearby witch to notice and had found her sitting amongst the rubble all alone. From then on she took her in, essentially raising her, teaching complex magic through books and from fellow wizards. Scared of the consequences the little girl would face from harming muggles, the witch didn't alert the ministry and brought her back to London.

This explains a lot of the mystery all around her. Why there were no records of her both in the muggle and wizarding world. Why all these years she wasn't a student at Beauxbatons, Durmstrang, or Ilvermorny.

The tunnel in honeydukes, this was the path she was certain would be the easiest. Though she and Dumbledore weren't close, he always favored other houses in spite of Slytherin, there was a mutual respect between the two. She knew enough about him to present to Aberforth, to gain his trust and access.

Looking in the mirror one last time, making sure she had everything she needed. Deciding to circle the estate one last time admiring its beauty and the last time she would be safe in the comfort of her new temporary home, Lyra took a deep breath and apparated into Hogsmeade.

She hadn't visited honeydukes once since her arrival, for it held too many precious memories, in fact, she almost dreaded having to go in, but it was for a short while, for a few minutes she could hold herself together.

Twisting and turning the silver band, something only done when she was quite nervous. Thinking this was it, the last time she would be "free" Lyra entered honeydukes to find it was filled with Hogwart students, all grabbing the sweets and lollies they were infamous for.

"May I help you miss?" a middle-aged man approached her with a warm smile and presented a bowl of raspberry jam-filled drop's. Grabbing one and placing it into her coat,

"I need to speak with Aberforth, don't bother lying. I know he's in the back." she sounded quite rude, which she knew but there wasn't a moment to waste. The man looked around the shop and signaled her to follow him into the back of honeydukes. "Wait here a moment." and with that, he was gone.

Biting her lips and picking at her nails the reality of it all finally hit her, she was trapped in 1942 to kill a man whose name or face she does not know. What if she succeeded in finding and killing him, then what? The time turner disappeared into thin air with her arrival here. Would she go to Azkaban or would the ministry believe her story and assist her in getting back?

"Who are you?" breaking free from the panic she had induced on herself, her attention turned to Aberforth.

"I know we don't know each other, but you must allow me into Hogwarts through the tunnel, and don't lie I know there in fact is one." maybe she should've asked kindly instead of deeming it a command.

"I have no idea what tunnel you speak of, now leave before I curse you." he turned and continued to walk away.

She took a hold of his robes and pulled him to face her, "The tunnel behind your sister Ariana's portrait. I know she was attacked at 6 years old by 3 muggles, who saw her doing magic. Not understanding something they feared, they took it out on her." taking a deep breath she began to plead, " We don't know each other in this time, I understand I am a complete stranger and people are not to be trusted with this war going on but I need to be let into Hogwarts and fulfill what I was sent here to do so. Please, I'm begging you." it sounded as if she was on the verge of crying.

Aberforth stood there for a few seconds, debating her story. "Follow me."

He led her to the painting in which Harry had told her about, the same as he, Ron, and Hermione used to sneak back into the castle after Snape was placed as headmaster.

" She was so innocent, only a child. Those muggles attacked an innocent little girl based on something they feared." Aberforth placed his hand on Ariana's painting, thinking of the current broken state his sister was left in. Ariana looked at him and then Lyra, eyeing her strange clothing with a confused face.

"She's wondering about your clothes. Most women don't wear trousers and those bulky boots."

  
Letting out a small laugh, "It's awfully hard fighting in a skirt and a pair of heels."

"Mhm." the painting opened up to reveal the tunnel, Aberforth grabbed her hand and gently helped to lift her up. The two exchanged one last glance at one another before beginning to walk down the path. That's it she couldn't turn back now, all those weeks led Lyra up to this point, to soon face her biggest enemy.

  
Quietly casting "Lumos" she was able to better see and shortly came to an end, pushing open the painting she climbed out, then closed the path door behind her, and set her wand back inside her sleeve. The room of requirement looked less messy and more organized than the one she was used to. Finding the exit she left and began to walk around the castle, she hadn't expected the reaction her mind would give. The memory of her first arrival, her sorting hat ceremony, becoming an animagus with Neville's help, winning the house cup in her 3rd year. It was too much for her to handle so her body leaned itself against a nearby wall, she had never expected to step back into the castle once more and feel a sense of homesickness. Tear's begun to fill in her eyes with the thought of how she would probably never get to see Neville again. How he's probably worried sick about her, or maybe they haven't noticed her disappearance because she wasn't quite that important to the order.

"Are you alright dear?"

Wiping away any stray tears, "Ah yes I'm perfectly well just a lot to take in Professor." Lyra looked over and saw a man whom she recognized but at the same time was a complete stranger. "Professor Dumbledore?"

"I see you know my name, but do tell what is yours, I don't seem to recognize you ?"

He looked so different compared to Aberforth, for starters he was not in his signature long robes but in a gray suit, his hair neatly styled short and brown as well as his beard. Dare she say that in 1943 Dumbledore was quite handsome.

She took out her hand towards him "Lyra Lenkrov sir. I'm a new student here, I was just on my way to the headmaster with my paperwork."

  
When Dumbledore shook her hand, a flash memory of her meeting him for the first time in her first year appeared. He looked at her confused, not letting go of her hand and a smile appeared on his face.

"Well, I see. The headmaster is quite busy with the arrival of the first years, I'm sure I can go over your paperwork and set you right in. We can then sort you into your house, Dear."

It was a bit of a shock for her, why did that memory pop up the moment he touched her? Had he seen it as well hence the confused look on his face? Without noticing she realized that they had arrived and sat down in Dumbledore's office. She watched as he prepared all her paperwork and classes in silence; neither one spoke and Lyra avoided eye-contact.

"You're not a transfer, where have you had your studies till now?" Dumbledore asked while he stood up putting up the final touches to her schedule.

  
"My somewhat of an adoptive guardian preferred a more private study. She taught me with books and with the help of other wizards. During the summer she passed away during an experiment gone wrong, may she rest in peace. And since I'm not an adult yet, I thought it would be interesting to spend my last two years in a normal school like a normal teenager." she had practiced the line so many times that it was starting to sound like the truth to her.

  
"Good, your story sounds ironclad, you'll have nothing to worry about." he handed her a schedule of the classes, " Since we didn’t know of your arrival your robes will be presented after your sorting hat ceremony I'm sure you know how to get to the dining hall from here." and with that he escorted her out of his office, closing the door behind her.

"My story sounds ironclad? I'm sure you know how to get to the dining hall from here?" Did he know? How is it possible that in the mere month of her presence here 2 people have managed to discover her secret? But then again Dumbledore was not only a powerful wizard but an extraordinarily smart one at that. Not letting it get to her any more than it already has she made her way in front of the dining hall entrance.

  
The 7 boys who chased her weeks ago, the chiseled boy who gifted her a nasty scar, and of course her "old" friend Abraxas Malfoy had no idea that the women who had engraved herself into their memories, the women they spent long and frantically looking for was standing only a few feet away, waiting to enter and be sorted in as a new student at Hogwarts.


	9. Chapter 9

She stood in front of the great hall entrance to see commotion occurring. There was a man standing in front of the teacher's table, abdomen bleeding waving his wand frantically around everyone. She quickly rushed over to see what was happening but once she got closer, she had recognized the man, Samuel, he was the first person aside from Ollivander she had met in the pub on her second day. The pair saw each other often both inside The Three Broomsticks and the streets of Diagon alley they were somewhat friends.

He looked awful, his eyes bloodshot, the gashing wound and him psychotically pointing his wand to the men surrounding him. She had seen this curse before, experienced it herself when the curse hit her shoulder blade, left stranded all alone in that forest hiding from death eaters it took her hours in removing the poisoning effects of it making her weaker and weaker, it's an agonizing type of curse that spreads its way into the nerves.

This type of dark magic not only affects one physically but mentally as well, it feasts upon your darkest fears and every horrible thought you have ever thought about is flushed into your mind all at once. The worst part of the curse is anyone who touches one infected with this, succumbs to a terrible jolt of pain.

A look of relief washed over him, "Lyra? Lyra is that you? They're trying to hurt me, they keep saying awful things to me, please make it stop." Everyone's attention turned onto her. While Samuel was distracted a man was about to grab him and she leaped forward yelling, "NO! No one touches him unless you want to be in absolute pain as well." everyone took a step away from him except her, she took small steps toward him.

"Samuel, they're trying to help you not hurt you. Why don't you put your wand down so I can heal you." holding out her hand, hoping he'll let her take his wand away.  
"The things the voices are saying Lyra, they want me to hurt you. I hurt Abraham, look at him in pain because of me"

"No Samuel that's not you thinking right now, it's the dark magic. You didn't hurt him, the curse did because he touched you. He's your friend, isn't he? What cause would you have to harm him." merely inches away she stepped in front of him, wrapping her hand onto his wrist she moved it down earning a confused look from him. She pulled away her shirt to reveal the scar that wrapped around her shoulder,

"See, I've been hit with the same one before, but the difference is there was no one to help me. I can help take it away if you let me."

He looked over to his friends then back at her slowly nodding his head. She motioned him to sit down, which he did, pulling up at the fabric she saw how infested and deep the wound is, with yellow and black pus oozing out of it. There was no time to move him to the infirmary; it could be too late by then and he'd have an outburst of dark magic. There are too many casualties and not enough time to evacuate the students. "I'm going to talk to Professor Dumbledore real quick. Do you think you can sit for just a few moments for me?" she looked at him with sorrow and understood the pain he was going through, it's enough to drive some mad.

"Riddle, that's her, that's the woman we've been looking for." Malfoy nudged and whispered towards him. But he already knew, the moment he had heard her yell, the woman standing across from the table was the same woman who left him with a fatal mark that covered his upper arm.

A wave of anger took over him as he dug his nails into the palm of his hand. He didn't take his gaze off her for one second. But Riddle found it curious how she knew of the dark magic implanted into the man. Why had she been hit with the same curse? How did the two know each other? With the events occurring in front of his eyes all it did was add more questions about her. Questions he needed answers to.

"You were right Abraxas she is quite attractive," Nott said as he gazed upon the woman in complete awe with a frantic smile. Riddle shot a look at him causing Nott to turn his gaze back to the plate of food in front of him and muttered "She's alright I guess."

He watched every movement of hers, from grabbing Samuels wrist, which surprised him, seeing as when the other man laid a hand on him he yelled in pain and fell to his knees. From lifting his shirt and walking over to Dumbledore.

"I have to heal him here, we can't move him with the uncertainty of him essentially exploding with dark magic. I can control the effects of the curse but I need merlap essence, lavender powder, unicorn tears, and angelica herb to ease the pain. Do you have those here ?" She only discovered days after her attack that the 4 ingredients completely numbed the pain she was forced to go through. It wasn't absolutely needed in order to suck out the magic but she wished the same would've been done for her in those days.

Dumbledore didn't speak, he nodded his head and went off to gather the ingredients she had requested. Turning her attention back onto Samuel she walked over to him and pulled out her wand. Since no one but her can touch him, it was going to be rather difficult to extract the magic from him. Someone had to hold him down for it and would take twice as long to remove if he was to be stunned.

"Samuel this is going to hurt a lot, and I'm so sorry but I can't stun you, you have to be awake for this to work." He gripped her hand suddenly and tight, pulling her close to him.

"I trust you. Do it." She had him lay down and hovered around his body, inhaling sharply she shot one more apologetic look at him. Pointing her wand at the wound she began the extraction.

A deafening scream emerged from him as the spell burned and sucked out the infection the dark magic was leaving. She tried her best to ignore it and focus on Samuels abdomen, the effects of the curse took a toll on her body, to extract a small amount of this type of magic is dangerous enough. But compared to what she's doing now, most would've passed out or have serious damage occur. A few more minutes that felt like hours had gone by, Samuels pained screams not stopping once.  
Dumbledore had arrived with the ingredients just in time as Lyra waved her wand over the wound to see if any magic was left undetected. Once she had stopped he passed out from the pain. She quickly mixed the ingredients in the palm of her hand and began to spread it out evenly onto the split skin. With the puss and infection gone, his body and potion will only focus on healing itself. Another flick of her wand bandages wrapped themselves around Samuel.

Letting out a sigh of relief still crouched on the floor, "You can touch him now and take him to the infirmary. He needs to rest and needs the same potion applied once more before he could take off the bandages." Her body was weak but she found enough strength to pull herself up and back away from the body. He was carefully lifted and quickly rushed to the infirmary leaving her standing all alone out of breath and out of strength.

Lyra felt her nose begin to bleed and her vision blurred, with one last look towards Dumbledore she couldn't hold herself up anymore and collapsed.


	10. Chapter 10

"We've been seeking her for weeks and she shows up out of the blue of all places Hogwarts." Malfoy plopped down into the common room couch and steadied his head on Avery's shoulder.

"But why. It's not a coincidence that she's here." Lestrange jerked his head over to Riddle, "Are you still suspicious of her ?"

"After the events that have transpired today in the dining hall, one thing is certain." He placed his hand over his shoulder and squeezed it very lightly, "She's trained in the Dark Arts and could be valuable to us."

"You want her to join the Knighthood? A woman? After what she did to you?" scoffed Lestrange.

"She will receive what's coming to her for her actions Lestrange but anyone could see she has power, a power I can use. With the amount of magic she absorbed from that man any ordinary wizard would be dead by now not lying in the infirmary with a nose bleed." But she wasn't any ordinary wizard now was she.

No, there was something she must be concealing, there's no way that Riddle hadn't encountered her before. He along with his "friends" had been looking all over for powerful wizards and witches to enlist their ranks but none could satisfy his expectations.

"Might I suggest something for once," Rosier stated while coming into the common room from his dorms. "She's lying in the infirmary completely weak and vulnerable now is the most flexible time to enter that pretty little head of hers and get answers to all your questions."

"For once you essentially have a good suggestion; Merlin did you bump your head or something?" Mulciber rushed over to his side and examined Rosier's head, "No bleeding I see, yup he's gone mad lads."

Rosier struck the boy aside and began to laugh "Oh fuck off Mulciber. But seriously when do you think there'll be another chance like this. She could wake up any minute. What do you conclude Riddle?"

He took a second to himself, self-debating if Rosier's idea is a pleasant one or not. He stood up and walked over to face the group along with Rosier who was still standing.

"Rosier's right, in the meanwhile I require you to all gather information about her, I want to know everything you can obtain about her. We'll meet back here at midnight."He took one more look at Rosier and offered an appreciative nod then walked away to enact the plan to enter her head.

"Is she alright Madam Podmore?" Dumbledore asked for the 3rd time in the few hours Lyra had been unconscious.

"Honestly Albus I wonder how she's still alive. Never have I in my 20 years seen anyone, much less a 16-year-old girl absorb that much dark magic and perform such a precise healing spell." Madam Podmore stood in between Lyra and Samuel who were both unconscious, resting in the infirmary beds. Looking over at Samuel "As for this gentleman, I truly ponder how he hasn't gone crazed or deceased."

"I feel Madam Podmore I believe we'll be welcomed with many surprises with this young one. For now, let's allow them rest and update the headmaster." he gestured to Podmore to join him.

Standing behind a corridor Riddle saw the professor and nurse walk out for some unknown reason, perfect timing to dig into Lyra's mind. He double-checked making sure no one was nearby to intervene and entered the infirmary.

Riddle stood above her bed for a few minutes glancing at her, with a million questions he'd promptly have answers to. He observed the multitude of scars that were presented onto various parts of her arms, both caused by the abuse she was faced to suffer at the orphanage and one's she received in her part of the war.

  
Without a moment of hesitation, he tried to prod himself into her mind, but the sole thing he became greeted with was a migraine spreading across his head. He shook himself out and tried once more but this time with an abundant amount of force and was welcomed with an even stronger skull pounding head pain.

  
Furious, he was furious, what secrets was she exactly hiding for the barriers of her mind to be this powerful, even while she was unconscious. Not leaving without some sort of answers he shifted his attention to the man neighboring her. With quick ease, he engaged in his way into the man's memories and focused on the ones regarding her. Riddle had witnessed all of it, from the moment the two met, to their walks and conversations in Diagon alley, partaking a meal together and even a kiss occurring between the two during a drunken night.

As he pulled himself out, the last memory he observed particularly nauseated Riddle. But he learned absolutely nothing about her other than she indulges a similar hobby as Malfoy to drinking an entire liquor cabinet.

Lyra had not once revealed any information to the man who lusted after her. Barely knowing anything about her the weak wizard developed a slight attraction towards the witch, but one, she obviously to Riddle did not seem to share back.

Storming out of the infirmary he did a few rounds as his prefect duties, rewarding any house out past curfew aside from his own with dentition and deducted house points. Before making his way into the common room, he had stood in front of the astronomy tower clearing his head with a cigarette. Growing more and more agitated with the countless mysteries divulged about this Lyra character.

"So Riddle what did you find out, did my marvelous plan work?" Rosier gleed with a gratifying feeling.

"No, it did not. The barriers around her mind are nothing like I've seen until now. Her brain is sheltering her even in a most venerable state. I even dived into the man's memories who knew her and nothing was revealed."

Trying to change the topic of his failure, he glimpsed at the boys sitting around him, "What have you learned about her?"

Clearing his throat, the attention drew to Nott, "Her name is Lyra Lenkrov, 16 years old, born and raised in a muggle orphanage in Russia, while she was young she was taken under the wing of a witch who raised taught her all types of magic, supposedly that woman died this summer." he glanced over to Avery who continued, " She was allegedly hidden away by the witch, hence why no one knows of her, reaching out to my cousins in Russia, there's no paperwork or trail of her there at all."

"No records of her in the muggle and wizarding world, that makes things all the more complicated." groaned Mulciber. " I mean we can always ask her about it and be straightforward."

"Oh ya let's go talk to a dangerous, power-oriented witch who arose from nowhere and interrogate her all about the wonders of her childhood over some tea and cigars. Maybe we can enjoy a picnic at Malfoy's gardens while we're at it." Lestrange stood up aggravated preparing his way towards Mulciber and smacked the back of his head.

The friends began to bicker and throw insults at one another which shifted their focus away from Lyra. "Enough!" Riddle announced which quickly shot fear into the two arguers and those around them. Without any word he stormed off into his dorm and slammed the door behind him.

He glanced over to his nightstand, pacing towards it, "Alohomora." the drawer opened itself up for Riddle to reveal a leather-bound diary, the first Horcrux he had successfully managed to create months ago with the murder of muggle-born Myrtle Elizabeth Warren. The first death that would one day lead to genocide in those of muggle-born.


	11. Chapter 11

Lyra jumped up from the infirmary bed covered in sweat and pondered around to see where she was.

The infirmary, she must've used up too much strength in healing Samuel causing her to faint. She looked over to her side to see him lying next to her still unconscious. Dragging herself out of the bed she made her way towards him and checked up onto his freshly changed wound, with the potion spread across just like she had informed them.

She felt relieved knowing he would be alright. Sitting back down onto her bed, Lyra's stomach began to growl from hunger. With skipping breakfast to spending the whole day in the infirmary she had not once been fit to satisfy her hunger. Hence she made it her mission to find her way to the kitchens, not worrying that anyone would spot her easily finding her way since it was quite past curfew.

But what would she make, what had she been craving? Muffins, the similar ones she would always reach for at the Malfoy's. Then on she began looking around to gather her ingredients when she was disturbed by two house-elves.

"Does Miss want a snack?" shifting her attention towards her knee level, she smiled and crouched down to them. "Though it may seem strange I was thinking if it'd be alright if you aid me to find the ingredients to make muffins. My name's Lyra and what are your names?"

"Tibly Miss and this is Dokky." said the first house elf.

"Make muffins? Miss wants to make the muffins herself?" Dokky asked.

"Absolutely I would like to make it myself, baking is something I enjoy to destress myself."

With a snap of their fingers, all the ingredients appeared neatly laid out onto the table, she smiled and thanked the two requesting they go back to rest for she'll clean up the mess. Though the two at first refused and offered to both bake and clean for her. She kindly declined their offer and scooted them out of the kitchens.

Standing in front of the table she moved a bowl towards her, first whisking the dry ingredients including flour, baking powder, sugar, and a pinch of salt. Then moved on to her wet ingredients first melting the butter with just a simple flick of her wrist to make the muffins soft and added the eggs and milk. Managing her wand carefully she poured the batter into little pans. Wanting to add one last thing to ensure the absolute pleasantest flavor she had cast a nonverbal simple cooking charm over the baking pan.

Now she would wait for 20 minutes, until then she waved her wand over the dirty items and they began to wash themselves. And there she sat waiting, thinking of ways she would uncover the identity of the future Dark Lord. The task would be the trickiest aside from destroying the Horcrux or Horcruxes which she had already known how to do so.

It had to be someone with deep ties to the wizarding world, someone who had the money and connections to be able to pull something like that off. For certain it could be someone from the 28 powerful families whose pureblood status dates back centuries but WHICH one specifically. Lowering her head into her hands, she groaned, thinking it will take a lot longer than she had anticipated killing him.

"It's 2 am and you hauled us out here for snacks? I was with a girl Nott." Avery complained after Nott and Mulciber barged into his room dragging him out on their quest to obtain a late-night snack.

"We saved her from experiencing complete and utter disappointment, honestly you should be thanking us for saving you from embarrassment." slurred Mulciber as he flung his arms around the two boys' shoulders.

"I can assure you she would've been left quite satisfied merely ask all the other women."

"What other women," Nott stated, causing them to all burst with laughter. Just as they made their way to the entrance of the kitchens they suddenly realized they weren't alone. Lyra was there. They scurried over to hide behind the wall's peeking their heads in to see what she was doing,

"Good Merlin, do you think she's trying to poison the food? I swear to Merlin I won't hesitate to hex her right here right now." Nott whispered to the two, "Should we get Riddle?"

"And inform him what? We entrapped her in the grand scheme of baking in the kitchens? He would curse us if we bothered him right now." Avery stated.

"Whatever the hell she's baking smell's divine. I have to ingest it." Almost announcing his presence Mulciber was held back by the two, whispering for him to keep quiet.

Lyra placed the fresh muffins onto a plate and set them down on the table while taking a seat. Flicking her wand, three chairs flew aloft around her,

"If you 3 are done lurking in the shadows and whispering awfully loud, might as well provide me company and not let these muffins go to waste?" They didn't even realize Lyra had identified their presence, but from Mulcibers loud antics and Avery's loud whispers, she had been alerted she wasn't alone.

The three protruded their head out one by one glancing at her, wondering if they should join her or not, but it was too late as Mulciber had already made his way and sat down next to her.

Avery and Nott linked with them but were cautious and no one reached out for the divine smelling baked good in front of them.

"Oh for Merlin's sake they're not poisonous." she snatched one and took a bite of it ensuring it's safe to eat. With a sigh of relief, they each plucked one and began to introduce themselves,

"I'm Dorian Nott; the shit whisperer is Niles Avery and the dramatic drunk over there is Alastor Mulciber."

"Nice to meet you three, I'm Lyra Lenkrov, as you well know I just began Hogwarts." Mulciber grabbed her hand and placed a gentle kiss on it.

"Pleasure to meet you, say so what the hell have you put in these apple pie muffins to cause them to taste this angelic," he asked while shoving another one down his throat.

"Apple pie muffins? Are you that gone you've mixed your tastebuds up, they're blueberry lemon muffins." Resulting in Nott grabbing another two and swallowing it whole.

Avery scoffed at the two" Lads have you both lost your mind, it's clearly strawberry cream flavored." once again the three began to bicker over what the actual flavor is resulting in Lyra letting out a giant laugh. The three stopped and looked at her with confusion, waving one around she corrected them,

"Actually you're all right. The significant thing about the muffins is that I enchanted them to taste like whatever it is your mind prefers. For example, mine is raspberry lemon, to each person they vary in flavor."

They merely stared at her with their jaws dropped, they've never encountered something similar to it, and made them wonder if the charm could be applied to other things as well. 

After sitting a few minutes in awkward silence the three stood up,

"It was lovely meeting you, I hope this won't be the last time I taste your marvelous cooking skills, good night fair maiden." Mulciber bowed to her and stayed in that position for a few seconds, she peaked under him to see he had fallen asleep. Avery and Nott rapidly hurled him around their shoulders, said their goodnights, and began to walk away.

"Wait!" yelped Lyra running towards them, " I made too many, maybe you can distribute it with the students in your house?" holding out the remaining magical sweets.

"Oh no, we can't impo-" Avery was cut off by Nott, "Yes we can, we absolutely can impose." he seized the plate out of her hands, thanked her and the 4 parted their ways.

Wandering the halls, trying to avoid going back to the infirmary she ran into Dumbledore who wasn't surprised to see her. " Professor I actually wanted to discuss something with you regarding my sorting."

He glanced around the empty halls, "Let's go to my office again shall we Miss Lenkrov." After a few minutes, they had arrived , both taking a seat across from each other. "Thence what is it you wished to inquire about so late."

"I was wondering if I can be sorted now compared to tomorrow, I genuinely don't like to have all eyes on me and it would be quite dramatic to have a sorting hat ceremony on the second day for a sixth-year student."

"Are you sure? The headmaster was quite excited to see you sorted."No. Absolutely not, she didn't need the sorting hat to spew out nonsense in front of the entire school. "But whatever you are most comfortable with." he pulled open his drawer and handed the old brown leather hat to her, placing it on her head it came alive.

For a few seconds, he stayed quiet trying to read her "Interesting, exceedingly fascinating Miss Lenkrov. Might I say there are two sides of you fighting to see which will triumph? The good and the dark magic in you will cause frequent obstacles in your path, beware for one can cause your destruction. On one note for your bravery, and courage produces you an excellent candidate for Gryffindor. But your determination, self-reliance, and loyalty create the perfect Slytherin, but that is the house you need most is it not?" Gryffindor and Slytherin, if Draco, Blaise, and Neville could witness her now.

"Are you asking me which house I'd like to be in?" Slytherin please be Slytherin.

"I retain it on good authority to sort you into Gryffindor this time but I will place you in... SLYTHERIN


	12. Chapter 12

After deciding to spend the night at the infirmary instead of the Slytherin dormitories, not quite ready to face the rest of Mulciber, Avery's, and Nott's group. Lyra awoke to find her robes, books, and classes neatly set on the nightstand next to her, glancing over her shoulder Samuel had already gone.

While the infirmary empties, she rapidly changed into the uniform and robes she had missed wearing, putting them on for a moment set her back into her time when she changed into the robes on the train ride to Hogwarts. Not wanting to dwell in the past or the future? She scurried her books along with her bag and went to find her first class, Potions. After being ignored by three students, presumably due to her house symbol, she became agitated and tried to capture the attention of a ginger-haired Gryffindor student who definitely seems like a Weasley boy.

She nudged his shoulder with his attention now onto her, "Excuse me? I was wondering if you could advise me where Slughorn's classroom is." She would never admit this out loud to anyone, but Ron's ancestor was absolutely handsome, the signature firey Weasley hair, with little stars of freckles surrounding his nose and the emerald innocent eyes that hold such happiness in them. He smiled at her which she found odd seeing as he was the first person today to greet her with one instead of a cold shoulder.

"Professor Slughorn for potions yes?" she grinned back and bobbed her head. "Well I'm on my way there also, looks like we have a class together." he gave her a dazed look of bewilderment.

"Lyra, my name's Lyra Lenkrov." Extending her hand hoping he wouldn't refuse it, he took it in and gave a handful shake, "Septimus Weasley." She knew it.  
They initiated to walk and surprisingly had started a conversation, he had asked about which areas she's interested in, informed her Slughorn is the Slytherin house head and asked if she's had the time to be introduced to her house's Prefect and accommodate herself with their common room. To which she replied that she retained an interest in the dark arts and that unfortunately, she spent the night in the infirmary instead of her dorms.

Reaching the classroom he held the door for her to walk in and the massive bang that erupted from behind them caused all heads to turn onto the two. Walking towards Slughorn she realized they were late, not wanting Weasley to get in trouble before Slughorn could state anything, she introduced herself once more, "Hello Professor Slughorn, I'm your new student Lyra Lenkov, I must apologize for Septimus was late because he was helping me with my way around the castle."

"Oh hello dear, yes I've heard about you this morning, Dumbledore had informed me my house had welcomed its newest pupil. How kind of you Weasley in showing her around, five points awarded to Gryffindor ." The Slytherin and the Gryffindor exchanged looks, with him being extremely happy to be awarded points, he then took his place amongst a group of his friends.

"Well, at this time we're going to be making a potion that requires a group, just in luck you can sit with your fellow household peers and get to know one another." he smiled at her pointing to the group who were Avery, Nott, Malfoy, Mulciber with two others and him. There was absolute certainty it was the boy who she dueled, gifting one another a scar to permanently remember each other, were all sitting together around the tables.

She and the boy held their eye-contact both visibly knowing who they were. As carved as his face and jaw seemed to be all she desired at that moment was to insert his head into the cauldron. Looking back at Slughorn "Professor this group seems quite engaged, if it's alright with you I can certainly work on my o-"

"Oh don't be ridiculous there's always room for a fellow Slytherin." his voice seemed honeylike and his words voiced with such softness, with the combination with that face is enough to cause anyone to melt. Then so, Slughorn devoted his attention away to a student asking a question about something.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

The scarlet-eyed boy pulls out a stool and pats the top of it motioning for her to sit next to him. Not him anyone but him, hell she'll even sit next to Malfoy than him.  
Establishing her way towards the group, she sat down and gulped, her heart was pounding at a fearful rate, she didn't let her face give away any emotion. Not wanting to speak she began to dig into her bag acting like there was something of great importance she needed.

Someone cleared their throat, but she remained focused on her bag. "Lyra allow me to introduce you to the rest of the lads." looking across the table, their eyes were all fixated on her. She despised it.

"Clearly you remember me, Avery and Nott. We're hard to forget; the one in front of you is Corvus Lestrange, the fellow next to him Justus Rosier, Abraxas Malfoy who's next to me and Tom Riddle, also our prefect."

Tom Riddle. So that was his name she hadn't recognized it in the wizarding world families, she had memorized all 28 family names and six of them were sitting surrounding her. But Riddle, Riddle she's never heard of.

"Oh you don't have to introduce me Alastor, Lyra and I go way back, we're old''friends" Pleasure seeing you again." The smirk on Malfoy's face confirms that he had informed them she was the masked woman they had been seeking for.

"Malfoy it's been a while hasn't it, how's the drinking problem? It's a pleasure meeting you Lestrange, Rosier, and Riddle. Lyra Lenkrov as I'm certain you heard me announce to Slughorn." causing a few laughs from her remark, from the side of her eye she could see Riddle was still looking at her and began to grow rather nervous for no apparent cause.

"Alright, then class today we'll be brewing a relatively complicated potion used mainly to salve wounds called the Wiggenweld Potion. Open your books, grab your ingredients and as you well know the first one to finish under an hour gets house points." Under an hour? A potion she brewed repeatedly merely required her 15 minutes to perform. She had become familiarized with the potion, constantly remaking batch after batch for the members of the order to carry around.

Based on memory she listed all the ingredients required to brew the potion.

gentree bark  
Dittany  
One pint of Horklump juice  
2 drops of Flobberworm Mucus  
7 Chizpurfle fangs  
Billywig sting slime  
A sprig of mint  
Boom Berry juice  
One stewed Mandrake  
Drops of Honeywater  
Sloth brain Mucus  
Moondew drops  
Salamander blood  
10 Lionfish spines  
Unicorn horn  
Wolfsbane

She would substitute unicorn horn for unicorn tears for it absorbs much quicker. Most of the items needed were already in front of her all she needed to gather was, Flobberworm mucus, sloth brain, and salamander blood which she stood up to go collect. The salamander blood was out of her reach causing Lyra to curse under her breath. It wasn't until she felt a hand over her head grabbing the salamander blood, turned and recognized the Weasley boy delivering it over to her. She thanked him and returned to her seat. Sitting on the opposing ends of the room, Weasley met her eyes once more with a smile, causing her to blush a little bit.

After looking away and causing her attention back onto her table the seven boys all looked at her then at Weasley then back at her.

"Right!" she clapped her hands together. "I can make this potion in 15 minutes, don't do anything, don't touch anything and we'll be done soon." Riddle scoffed and leveled his eyes, "The fastest this potion has been made by anyone was in 32 minutes, 15 sounds like a disaster. Plus," he reached for the vile of tears, "you bought back unicorn tears instead of unicorn horn and haven't even withdrawn your book."

"Unlike some," she gestured to his potions book in front of him, " I don't require a book when I retain it memorized. Also, the unicorn tears act stronger and take less time to add in compared to grinding down a horn which takes 10 minutes by itself. Like I said don't do anything, don't touch anything." snatching the vial out of his hand she began to brew the potion. Every time she included an ingredient or stirred the cauldron. Riddle gave a disapproving huff or a snarky comment about how she'll poison someone rather than restore them.

She couldn't take it anymore, every action he did became maddening for her, striking her fist onto the table she turned towards Riddle, "For the love of Merlin Riddle do you ever shut up? You sound like a hovering mother-in-law breathing down my fucking neck every two seconds. Back the fuck off."

"Oh no." Avery looked over to Nott.

"Oh no." Nott looked at Lestrange.

"Oh fuck." making Lestrange last to comment.

He applied his strength and gripped onto her knee, the two throwing daggers at one another. "Regard how you speak to me, especially with that garbage sailor's mouth of yours." he had allowed her words vex him.

"No, it's you who should watch to how to speak." grinding her teeth, she became cross. "Who the bloody hell died and appointed you defender of the potions. Take your hand off while you still possess it, Tom." He loathed the way she mentioned his name, almost making it sound like she's speaking down on him. Giving it another extreme cruel squeeze, that will probably bruise later he released his grip on her as Slughorn approached them. In one second he was skilled to drop his cold stare and turn it into a welcoming smile.

"Professor Slughorn we've finished our potion, come look, quickly, please." Nott motioned for him to approach their group.

"I can absolutely assure you that you haven't finished the- oh look you've finished the potion already." he glanced over the cauldron, dipping his pinky into the mixture and bought it up to his nose. He gave Lyra an indescribable look, to which she feared she had done it wrong.

"My dear, this potion is, well this potion, to tell the truth, is... marvelous. Absolutely perfect and all done in Merlin's beard, 14 minutes. How on earth are you so skilled with this?"

If only she had a camera to capture the face Riddle had made once hearing her appraisal.

"I've learned to work in a compressed amount of time regarding this specific potion, the unicorn tears act stronger and take less time to add in compared to grinding down a horn. As for the wolfsbane including the plant compared to the powder is much more efficient for medicinal properties since it's fresh. Also adding mandrake water along with the root speeds up the process without damaging any of the ingredients." she had learned to cut corners and messed around with the potion for a while and discovered her quick-acting technique with the help of Neville who was invested in plants and herbs.

"20 points awarded to Slytherin for outstanding teamwork and the completion of the potion. You 8 may leave after cleaning up."

Excited about the accomplishment she wished she could've had Neville here to also join her in the appraisal as they both figured it out together. She clutched her bag hoping to at least swipe something off the dining hall table and eat before her next class when someone grabbed her arm and pushed her back onto the table.  
"Where exactly do you think you're going Lenkrov." Riddle, it's always Riddle.

Ramming him off and fixing her robes she looked at all of them then back to him, "Seeing as I did all the work and earned our house 20 points, you lot can clean the mess up and enjoy finishing class early thanks to me." she walked out of potions before any of them could protest.


	13. Chapter 13

She experienced her day without running into the boys or Tom, trying to avert them as much as possible. Instead, she spent most of it with Septimus where the two got along and had herbology together. Sitting together in the library Lyra had grabbed a history of the dark arts book reading every page encrypting it into her memories. If she couldn't find Voldemort's identity yet the least she could do is try to find out every single little thing she can about the magic behind Horcruxes. Frustrated after failing to find some text about them she snapped her book close and pulled out the third one, starting all over again.

"Seems like you're looking for something?" Septimus, who sat across from Lyra observed how frustrated she looked.

"More like trying to gather more information about something I know somewhat of. But I doubt a school library would possess what I'm looking for." sighing, not wanting to read anymore she looked up at him and shook her head.

He stood up and began to put the books away, "Wait what are you doing I'm reading these."

"Lyra you're on your third book in an hour. Trust me what you need to do is eat, and what you look at that." he looked at his wrist with no watch present, "it's dinner time. let's go."so he hauled her up and dragged her out into the dining hall.

They stood in between their tables, "I forgot we sit at separate tables Weasley." she looked over to the Slytherin dining table where Mulciber and Nott were frantically waving for her to join them.

"You know you should get acquainted with your house too, after all, you'll be spending most of your time around them. But if it makes you uncomfortable you can always join my friends and me."

"As much as I would like to sit at your table and provoke a scandal. I feel if I do I'll definitely be the black sheep of Slytherin. Thank you though for the offer." parting away from her new friend she walked over to the group when Mulciber stood up, seized her bag and sat her down between him and Nott right across from Tom.

"What's with you and Weasley, I'm a little hurt you've been neglecting me for him." Mulciber frowned as he filled Lyras plate with food.

"We had another class together and he's been showing me around that's all." receiving a bite of the mashed potatoes, he had fixated for her.

"I could've shown you around, I'm an excellent guide for students."

"Mulciber if you're sober enough then you could show me around." her remark caused a few laughs from the surrounding group, "See even she knows about your drinking habit. Nice one Lenkrov."

"Oh shut it Rosier as if you don't retain the same habits as well." he eyed the curly golden-haired boy. They started to bicker which she had already come accustomed to, the group seems to consistently remind her of similar times at her own Slytherin table years ago.

She reached for her bag and pulled out a book she managed to swipe before Septimus dragged her away and turned her focus onto it while eating dinner with the unoccupied hand.

"Runes et Sanguinem Magicae? Why does someone need a Runes and Blood magic directory at Hogwarts?" whipping her head up, his black eyes, which now under this light seem to represent an unusually deep brown was attentive to the book she was researching.

"You speak Latin I see" her attention focused once again onto the pages, not wanting to look at him.

"You avoided my question I see."

Flinging her book shut which resulted in the group turning their eye on the two, Lyra gave a fake smile, "Not avoiding anything Riddle, since you're so interested I'm reading out of curiosity."

Returning a bland smile back at her while placing his elbows crossed onto the wooden table," Runes and blood magic have been outdated for centuries, what would cause you to be so curious about it. It's almost as if you're devising something." raising an eyebrow at her.

"Well smartass."

"Lyra don't" placed his hand on top of her's, Mulciber was worried she would push him too far, Riddle was already angry for what happened in potions and Mulciber hoped she would let it go. Instead, she knocked his hand away, not glancing towards him.

"Since you seem to love to jump to conclusions, why don't you divulge me what it is you believe I plan on achieving with this book then." her palm motioned towards the book in front of her. Riddle didn't mention anything, and he dug his nails into his skin, feeling the blood running from the deep marks. Never in all his years of Hogwarts, did anyone dare speak to him with such vulgarity.

"For a woman you-"

"For a woman I what, I dare you to finish whatever stupid remark you're thinking." Completely forgetting she was in the '40s for a second, sexism was up until now a widespread attitude towards women.

He stood up with his palms flattened against the table leaning over, " For a woman, you certainly lack class and respect. So vulgar, didn't your parents instruct you how to respect others."

Mirroring Riddle she did exactly as he achieved standing up enraged with the comment about parents, "As a man, you should know when to shut the fuck up with your stupid remarks. Looks like your parents didn't teach you how to remove the stick up your arse, who the hell are you for me to show any respect or class to?"

"Mom, dad please the children are watching," Abraxas said, trying to lighten the mood.

"Shut up Malfoy." they both said in unison. Gradually their argument was capturing the attention of other students.

"If you were ever my daughter, I would've abandoned you the moment you were born." His remark severely wounded Lyra, she had constantly wondered the reason for her being an orphan, why her parents had abandoned her in that horrid hell hole.

The boys seemed shocked at Riddle's statement, they all knew Lyra was from an orphanage but she didn't know that they did, that they had tried to dig into her past and uncover her identity.

For the first time in years, she lost her temper and snapped at him. "I pity the woman who will one day have to love someone as sexist, narcissistic, and moronic as you. Your parents should've plunged you off at the orphanage right after you were popped out. They apparently didn't love you enough as a child seeing as how you've turned out to be an absolute fucking wanker."

Lyra secured her book and flung her bag over her shoulder beginning to walk away from the dining hall. But she heard rapid footsteps following her knowing it definitely was Riddle. Picking up her pace she tried to shake him off but failed to do so when she felt a sturdy pair of hands wrap around her arm and began to drag her painfully towards the astronomy tower.

Riddle locked the door and cast a silencing spell around the area. He gripped her throat, squeezing it, and forced her back towards the wall. Hard.

"Don't you ever speak to me that way around the others. Don't think I haven't forgotten the scar you so happily left me with. I will give you another one, one you won't be capable to relieve with your insufficient potions." The crazed look in his eyes almost alarmed her. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't speak, his icy grip was unduly strong restricting her airflow, feeling every limited breath burn her chest. She had tried to force him away and clawed at his arms deeply leaving lines of blood.

With the searing back pain, the struggle to push him away, and the combination of him squeezing the life out of her. She felt herself growing weak, Tom however maintained his grip not loosening it.

All she heard before everything turned black was, "Riddle stop you'll kill her!"


	14. Chapter 14

"Riddle stop you'll kill her." Nott rushed over to Riddle who was still squeezing her neck even as she passed out. He waited a few more seconds before letting her go and passively watched as her body dropped. Stepping away from her Mulciber and Avery rushed down checking her pulse to detect if she was still alive.

"Escort her to her dormitories and make sure no one sees you." Tom forced his way past the group and disappeared.

"We have to take her to the infirmary." Nott's voice possessed a tone of panic to it.

"You heard him say we have to take her to her dormitories. How would we explain why she's like this with the marks around her neck?" Lestrange looked at Mulciber who seemed rather attentive to Lyra. "Why did you chase after them anyway? "

Mulciber stood up making his way in front of Lestrange "Because I know Riddle, after him piling up his anger for weeks to the jabs these two threw at each other I very damn well knew he was going to injure her if not kill her. I wasn't going to abandon her all alone here passed out on the cold floor, what if someone else had discovered her and done who knows what."

"She's a stranger and a dangerous one at that, just because she made you Nott and Avery fucking muffins doesn't mean she's your friend." The two were only inches apart both visibly angry. "Funny, especially since just a couple of months ago you were carving into a Hufflepuff's face and now you're acting like a saint."

Lyra began to groan her eyes barely opening and her body frail all she could do was hear the commotion going around her. Mulciber withdrew his attention away from Lestrange, where he Avery and Nott carried her back to the Slytherin girls dormitory. Since she was assigned a single room Nott had eagerly volunteered to stay with her until she woke up so she wouldn't be isolated. Tucking her into bed Nott ran a diagnosis charm over her to make sure there was no irreversible damage left behind.

Tom had settled into the room of requirements, where he spent most of his time here to disappear and gather his thoughts. He had lost control, for the first time ever he practically ruined the reputation he had worked so hard for. Tom looked at his hands, how deep her scratches were, how she resisted him to the last second. Annoyed he waved his wand over each hand instantly recovering them with no scars left behind.

Something about her just drove him mad and he barely even knew her. She caused him to push his limits, now he'll never be able to convince her to ally him in his cause. But he needed her. No. He needed her power, he needed to twist her will so she would achieve anything for him. Making an enemy out of Lyra could cause her to get in the way of the foreseeable future he has envisioned for the wizarding world. If it ever comes down to that he could merely slay her, she may be powerful magically which correctly was a challenge for him but physically he overpowered her as he proved himself 30 minutes ago.

Gradually opening her eyes, not recognizing where she was only that she was laying down carefully tucked into a bed. Looking around she spotted Nott leaning against a bed headboard reading some type of book next to her and tilted her head to greet his eyes.

"Before you freak out we're in your dormitory, I did sit in that chair over there but I suffer from a bad back so now I'm sitting comfortably on the bed. Don't think anything else was going on." he narrowed his eyes at her.

"I-" when trying to talk her voice cracked and a spread of considerable pain instantly surrounded her neck. Sitting up and gently leaning against the headboard as well she bought her hand up to her neck feeling tender.

"Don't try to speak right now," reaching over the nightstand Nott bought forward a cup of fragrant tea with a vile of a yellow potion to which he added in. Conveying it towards Lyra, she looked at him with suspicion and eyed the empty vile. "I think we're past the point of thinking one of us is intentionally trying to poison one another don't you think?"

Accepting the cup from his hands, she figured he was right. So the two sat peacefully in silence while Lyra consumed her tea slowly feeling her brawny throat soothe itself presumably because of whatever was in that potion. She rotated her head towards the vanity that was next to her and gasped at seeing the bruising that had begun covering almost her entire neck.

Their heads turned when they heard a sudden knock on the door. Lyra eyed Nott with worry and then back at the door, "It's probably Avery or Mulciber don't worry."and opened the door to reveal both the boys standing.

Coming inside the three boys just stood there blinking at Lyra and then she recalled the faint conversation she had heard lying on the astronomy tower floor. She retained what had happened that caused her to be lying in her dormitories at this moment. 

Because of Tom Riddle.

She ripped the blanket off her stood up and screamed hysterically, "I'M GOING TO KILL HIM!" making her way towards the door, the three determined boys plunged themselves in front of her not allowing her out.

"Lyra please just let it go," Mulciber begged as she eagerly tried to pry the 3 of them off.

"Let it go? LET IT GO? Look at my neck Alastor his hands are literally bruised onto my fucking neck. Move the three of you now."

"You'll merely make it worse if you try to approach him right now - ow stop stepping on my foot!" Avery insisted as he stepped back on Lyra's nimble foot. After struggling for minutes, she had ultimately made it out the door with the boys running after her. She went downstairs into the common room to find Malfoy, Lestrange, and Rosier sitting comfortably by the cavernous fireplace.

"Where is he." she hissed.

"Where's who?" teased Lestrange not giving her the answer she wants.

"Don't act dumb right now, stupidity doesn't look good on you." growing more and more agitated with him.

He placed his arms on the leather couch that resided by the fireplace and pulled himself up rapidly, "How dar-"

"How dare I blah blah blah invariably speak to a high ranking pureblood blah blah blah. Answer my question."

"As one would expect, I should've known you correctly were a filthy little mudblood."

"Even if I was a muggle-born witch I'd understand why you'd be bitterly envious of the fact a muggle born performs better magic than a noble pureblood. Unfortunately, for you, I'm a pureblood as well."

The engaged two were standing neck and neck with Lestrange breathing down her expressive face. Balling their fists up restraining themselves from striking one another Mulciber squeezed himself in between the two, "Alright allow me to just get in here." and gently pushed them apart."I think we've had enough fighting for one night."

Fine, if they wouldn't inform her where he was she would seek him herself. She outstretched her hand and a mere second later her wand had flown into it, "I'll look for him myself." turned her back and was beginning to make her way out the common room.

Running in front of her Avery placed his gentle hands on both her shoulders which caused her to flinch unexpectedly, Avery noticed and recoiled his arms,

"Sorry, but listen to me, you and Riddle are pissed and Merlin you both have the same exact temper but I can assure you right now you two need to be away from each other. If you voluntarily go out looking for him, I think it'll result in you two burning down the castle." It amazed her how different the friends all were, Rosier, Lestrange and Malfoy seemed to have naturally taken Riddle's side. While Avery, Nott, and Mulciber genuinely seemed to want her out of possible harm's way and kept advising her to not see Riddle right now. How the hell did they all manage to become friends?

She sighed knowing he was right, that both wounds were still fresh and if she was to find him they'd both end up cutting deeper and deeper. Capturing one last look at those surrounding the common room, she said goodnight and eyed Lestrange one more time before storming off and slamming the door shut behind her.


	15. Chapter 15

Before leaving her dormitory she critically examined the fresh set of purple and blue bruising Riddle had kindly left her with. Not worried about them being painfully visible, a simple cloaking spell was cast and all was well. Though it physically couldn't be observed, the pain definitely appeared if she moved her head too swiftly.

Skipping breakfast once again, a terrible habit she hated starting, Septimus and her met up by the library where a few fellow Gryffindors threw vicious looks at her. Brushing them away the duo began to walk together to Slughorns laughing and sharing stories. When they arrived before entering the classroom, she merely paused for a bit hesitant on going in, her smile completely dropping as she'd have to see him once again,

"Is everything okay? You completely changed your attitude" Septimus reached out to place a calming hand onto her but without her notice, he shifted it away.

"Mhm?" snapping out of it. "Oh no I merely remembered I forgot something but oh well I can't go back and get it now." taking a few deep breaths they entered the classroom with her attention straying far away from their table. This wasn't like her, normally she would at the first chance plan ways to get back at someone, hurt them or get even. But that look he gave her, practically killing her sent a nervous shiver down her crooked spine.

Slughorn rushed frantically towards them with unusual excitement,

"Greetings Professor," Septimus and Lyra spoke in unison.

"Greetings you two, Ah Lenkrov, just the student I desperately wanted to speak to." She nervously eyed Septimus not wanting him to leave her side, but he didn't follow the hint and went to his seat.

"Well you very well might not know this, but I have a little club for my most talented and promising students. With your knowledge of potions and healing, you have displayed, I guarantee you'll represent an excellent addition. We meet every Wednesday at 8'oclock to discuss many things while dining."Many knew about his club in Hogwarts for most of the people she knew were a part of it, Draco, Neville, Blaise, Harry, and Hermione weekly would attend. Though she never was gifted enough at the time to join, she had accompanied them a few times.

"Professor I would love to, that sounds splendid and honestly I feel a little flattered with the personal compliment. Is there a specific dress code?" though it wasn't that big of a deal, she truly did feel flattered and a smile formed onto her face.

"My boy Riddle can divulge you all the minor details. If you excuse me, I must speak with Dumbledore." before she could process what was merely said to her he had already excused himself.

Riddle why is he repeatedly thrown into her life.

Lifting her head towards the table, she tried her best to avert his eyes because she knew she would very well explode. Taking another deep breath she walked to the head of it, to find they had completely changed their seating arrangement.

To her left was now Lestrange Riddle and Rosier, on her opposing side Malfoy and Avery, to the right Mulciber and Nott with a vacant seat next to him. And so she scurried over next to Nott greeting him and a few a good mornings to the rest. Taking out some parchment and dipping her quill into the ink she looked around to see everyone scribbling but had no idea what it was about.

Nott tapped her knee, "Hey I noticed you weren't at breakfast today so I swiped a raspberry lemon jam scone, you liked this flavor right ?" she looked to witness him unravel out a neatly wrapped napkin with the scone sitting perfectly on top. For the first time since being here, she felt touched the boy noticed her absence and managed to remember her favorite flavored sweet. Kindly accepting it and whispering a thank you to the boy she quickly munched down on it before the Professor came back.

Elbowing Nott with caution, "Hey what is everyone writing?" she whispered gently so others wouldn't overhear.

"I have no idea, I'm writing a list of snacks I'm going to get when we go to honeydukes on Friday." looking over to his parchment, he indeed did compile a whole list of sweets he planned on purchasing. "You want to come with me? They always ditch Mulciber and me."

"Honeydukes what's that?" very well apprehending what it was, she had to pretend everything seemed foreign to her, that she hadn't memorized every secret passage out of Hogwarts leading directly into Hogsmeade. How frequently she visited honeydukes that the workers always had her favorites wrapped up and prepared for her.

It was as if Nott's eyes lit up at her question leaning towards her in a low voice, "Just the most magnificent, scrumptious, mouth-watering bakery in the wizarding world. They've got everything like Choco Balls full of strawberry mousse and clotted cream, Chocolate Mint Swirl Fudge, Cauldron Cake which is made with six different kinds of chocolate, I bet you can't even name six different chocolates."

"I certainly can't name six dif-"

He picked up her hands observing the silver band on her thumb and the newly purchased black mermaid ring where its body wrapped around the finger, "There's also a magnificent jewelry shop, I noticed you seem to have a fondness for rings."

"I don't think I need any more jewelry, but I'll humbly accept the invitation to join you both if Mulciber is okay with it." they turned facing him and both blinked waiting for his response.

He rolled his eyes at the way the two were annoyingly observing him, "Oh great you want to place me a third wheel. No, absolutely not."

"Please if anything I feel like I'm going to be the third wheel between you and Nott. Plus I need to buy a dress for the slug club next week, I require a pleasant eye or two" laughed Lyra.

That's when she heard a quill drop and their attention was all focused on what she had just remarked.

They kept switching back and forth between Riddle and Lenkrov, scoffing Lestrange looked at her, and laughed "Slughorn invited you to be a part of the slug club on your second day here? There's no need to lie, we're all members as well, it's just tragic."

"Oh, I'm lying am I? "We meet every Wednesday at 8 o'clock to discuss many things while dining" or was that something I also made up." she watched as his smile dropped and he faced Riddle. Then finally after averting this far, she set her gaze onto him.

Without physical touch the memory of his frozen hands were presented, the menacing look in his eyes which desired a thirst for revenge. The rage in their hold had the power to eliminate those around them, the flames that had begun in the pit of her stomach had spread like a wildfire throughout every inch of her skin. Fire and Ice, for her anger, was as dangerous as boiling lava capable of destruction in an instant, and his which held the power of a dangerous snowstorm slowly dragging out death, making them both unpredictable, out of control.

She demanded him to burn.

He desired her to freeze.

Riddle gritted his teeth with such strength, possibly bursting them at any moment, Lyra's knuckles turned snow-white, the blood rushed to her cheeks essentially boiling up before exploding like a volcano.

Burn. Burn. Burn.

Her mind filled with the only thought that seemed to have been so powerful that the following event that happened all too fast scared Lyra of herself.

The contents in the cauldron centered around the table had burst violently with an unknown potion spewing all over his right hand fatally scorching Riddle. High velocities of pain traveled throughout his arm, the smell of searing flesh clouded her nose along with the vision of the fried nerves and veins gored out. He was in pain, screaming out in total agony, it felt as if acid was munching its way down to the bone. He wanted it to stop, for someone to desperately make it stop.

She visibly started shaking not knowing what to do, the sound of his screams echoing repeatedly into her ear. Everyone surrounded Riddle, while someone ran to go get Slughorn. The potion only hit him even though Lestrange was close enough to be warranted the same fate, but it didn't. No, she wanted Riddle to burn, not Lestrange.


	16. Chapter 16

Classes for the rest of the day were canceled until the unknown reason behind Riddles' injury was resolved. Even the slug club was postponed until further notice. A churning sense of overwhelming guilt had overridden her, as she spent most of the day hiding in her room scared to face any of them.

But still, the image of him screaming and the smell of burnt flesh wouldn't escape her memories. Why should she feel terrible, it's not like Tom felt any remorse for what he did to her.

Pacing back and forth she began to voice her thoughts out loud. "That doesn't mean I'll stoop low to his excessive level."

"I bet he's probably planning some way right now to horribly disfigure my face once he gets better."

"Pft it's not like I purposely hurt him as he did with me."

Stopping in her tracks, realizing she probably looks like a crazed person she had decided to be the better person and visit Riddle while he scarcely laid in the infirmary. Right before leaving she swiftly gripped something knowing she definitely requires and placed it in her robes.

Some part of her had hoped he would be alone, but she knew better after recognizing the six friends surrounding him. Abraxas had spotted her then cleared his throat loudly while wiggling his anxious eyes towards the boys.

There was no petty bickering, no vicious fighting, not even an angry remark from Lestrange. Not knowing for sure if she was in the clear, Lyra made her way towards Riddle's right side.

When he was asleep, the moonlight hit at an angle where one could mistake him for an angel. The full plump lips, the long eyelashes, and the sharp marble carved cheeks. His unconscious lips look soft.

Forcibly pulling her head out of the gutter, wanting to correct her wrongs, she reached for the vile in her robes, while pulling it out Lestrange seized her wrist causing her to almost drop it.

"I'm not here to incapacitate him. I came to heal him and help relieve the burning pain he's probably going through." he didn't mention anything instead he maintained his steady grip and towered over her. "Lestrange if I apply the potion and it inadvertently causes him even more damage I grant you full permission to hex me."

"I'll hold you to your word then."

Letting her aggressively go, Lyra sat down at his side and began to unfold the bloodstained bandages wrapped around his arm. The sight was gruesome, from below his elbow down to his fingers sores and blisters spread his arm, the burnt flesh smell still lingering with the sight of bone laying behind the melted skin. Carefully adding five drops in total, she stepped back and observed a new layer of raw skin began to grow. Though it didn't completely heal right away for there was too much damage, it would take five drops administered every hour for both the pain and wound to go away. 

She handed the vile to Lestrange, "Apply it the same way I did, five drops every hour and it'll completely go away, though it'll leave an extremely faint scar." picking and prying apart the cracked skin around her nails nervously, "Also don't apply any bandages around it, the new skin needs to breathe for it's extremely fragile right now." She possessed a peculiar habit of walking away after completing her own sentence to avoid people’s reactions.

Tossing uneasily and turning frantically for anxious hours she couldn't sleep. He resided in her memories indeed causing her discomfort in her own dreams. Frustrated she grabbed a cardigan and hurled it over her nightgown. Placing her cigarette box and the lighter Abraxas had given to her into the pocket she established her way towards the Astronomy Tower, where she would watch in disgust as Blaise and Draco would smoke.

Positioning herself by the ledge, feet dangling precariously in the windless air she took a minor second to take in the fresh crisp air. Popping the cigarette between her teeth, she inflamed it and took a long drag. She didn't think of anything. Not Tom, not about the terrible future, her reason being here but nothing. As she was about to realign the burning cigarette into her mouth, it was snatched out of her hand.

Riddle?

He took a seat next to her still in the hospital nightgown, legs dangling off the overhanging ledge, and began impulsively to smoke as well. All she merely did was pull another out and light it for herself. They didn't say anything, not even looked at each other, and it stayed like that for a few minutes.

"Lestrange informed me what you did." he broke the silence first. Flipping his right hand up and down now completely healed with new skin growth, a faint red scar was still left behind.

"I'm not apologizing."

"I'm not thanking you."

They blurted out at the same time while looking at each other, she turned away first staring back out into the created void.

Riddle eyed at her extremely short nightgown if one would scarcely consider it that and wandered his curious eyes down to the noticeable scars that were visibly present on her thighs. He next looked at her exposed neck and realized she used a cloaking spell to conceal the marks of his hands.

He caressed her hair back to capture a more pleasing sight of her neck and with a faint whisper, the bruises were no longer hidden. She didn't flinch at his hand which felt unusual, his touch not pulling away from her neck lingering the narrow area.

She rotated her exposed body diligently, looking at him, feeling comforted in some way, she hated it but at the same time, it felt oddly right. 

Why am I allowing him to caress me, especially after what he did?

He wouldn't move his hand, his fingertips gently brushing back and forth to the spotty canvas he'd left behind "It's impossible but can we start all over? No ball duel, no potions bickering, no nothing. I'm not saying let's kiss and make up then be the best of friends, but that maybe we try to stop killing or gravely injure one another Tom." 

"I secure no promises Lyra," he muttered fiercely and for the first time he had tasted her name on the tip of his tongue. 

Lyra.

After removing his hand from her neck, he lingered onto the gritty floor merely an inch away from her right thigh, visibly staring at it wondering the stories behind them.

She instantly felt her breathing hitch with his hand being so close yet distantly far from her thigh but was it because of fear? He was suspiciously eyeing her ragged scars not even trying to conceal the fact he is, 

"A modified sectumsempra curse, the scar runs until my hip. I couldn't walk for days," she noted him studying her thighs as if they were pages to a book.

This was his moment to discover some sort of information about her. "Why were you hit with a curse like that?" He placed his finger on the beginning of the scar slowly dragging it up along the pink lines , enjoying the warmth emitting from her skin and coming to a halt when he met with the thin short fabric of her nightgown.

"We're in a war are we not?" her eyes were fixated on his fingers that stayed still.

"You've been fighting in the war?" But which side did she fight for, a reasonable question considering her temper and gifted knowledge of the dark arts, something tells him it's not Grindelwald's side but one can never assume.

Forcing his hand away she stood up, "It's late and you need to be resting right now not playing 20 questions with me."

He stood up barring her, so she wouldn't walk away, "I'm fine."

Vanilla, smoke, old books, and mahogany teakwood. He was so close to her, his chest practically pressed against her, his scent intoxicating her. She couldn't allow it to affect her more than it already did. Her heart began to beat so loudly she feared he could hear it with how close he was. 

Placing her hand on his chest, easing him a little away from her, "No you're not, and neither am I, we both need to rest. Good night Tom." 

She left him standing there all alone in the dark with his thoughts filled about those scars and her warmth. But what drove him mad was not the fact she brushed him off, no. But how in the moment he was pressed against her his nose was greeted by taunting smell of raspberry lemon, smoke, lavender, and cherries.

Greeted by her.


	17. Chapter 17

Friday, September 5

They didn't see each other.

Lyra spent the day after Riddle's incident on her toes wondering if Slughorn or Headmaster Dippett would find out she was the one behind it. That wasn't what kept circulating in her mind, though occasionally it did pop up. No the thought of her allowing Tom to touch her to go anywhere near her but she until now didn't comprehend why it happened. The thought of his nimble fingers lingering fondly and dragging themselves on her thighs, past her scars.

Swaying it off she decided to get dressed, still not allowing herself to wear skirts outside of her Hogwarts uniform, she threw on a pair of creamy beige trousers and a short sleeve turtle-neck. For some unknown reason after Riddle undid the cloaking spell she didn't want to recast it.

Mucliber and Nott were practically about to burst her door down when she finally unlocked it.

"Merlin I was naked, I said to give me a few minutes." pushing past them.

"All the more reason to have intentionally let us in, dear friends aren't shy from each other you know."

Nott and Lyra exchanged one humorous look at each other before they both smacked Mulciber on the top of his head. The trio began to laugh hysterically as they were engaging in their way towards the common room when Mulciber and Nott voluntarily stopped in their tracks puzzling her. Looking by the fireplace, Avery, Lestrange, and Riddle sat not engaged in any conversation but with Riddle buried into a book.

The two boys eyed one another worryingly then at Lyra, but she didn't seem to care and walked over to take a seat next to Tom. She didn't feel anger for she didn't feel nervous either being next to him. He didn't seem to mind at all and caused no reaction.

Vanilla, smoke, old books, and mahogany teakwood, she took a minute to adjust to his scent.

Raspberry lemon, smoke, lavender, and cherries he had to hold his breath, her scent practically drenched his nose.

"Good morning." she enthusiastically greeted them. Nott and Mulciber, still confused cautiously took a seat down while everyone kept switching glances at each other.

"One in the afternoon hardly counts as the morning Lenkrov." Though the wound was completely gone and he looked normal, she thoughtfully watched the faint pinkness of the visible marks that resided on his fingers as he skimmed the pages.

She shrugged, "Mhm I guess so." curious she gradually began to dig her eager face into his book as well, and instantly recognized it, "Confronting the Faceless? I didn't know you were in Professor Rakepick's class?"

"Monday you seemed to be occupied with being passed out and I very much couldn't attend on Thursday now could I. How did you recognize the book?" now since the first moment of her sitting down, he faced her raising an eyebrow.

"I've read it before, and it's a fine read but I prefer Unmasking the Mystery by Sibil Lockwood."

Voluntarily placing the book onto the table, Riddle became intrigued that Unmasking the Mystery remains a rare item he's only heard about that contained every counterspell for curses and hexes, "That's a rare book, not even Hogwarts carry it, where did you manage to find one?"

"Someone I knew possessed this incredible library provided with the rarest of books. They even had the private diaries of some of the legendary founders of Hogwarts." The library at Hogwarts was nothing compared to Malfoy's private collection. With her unsuccessful so far with the books here and those in Diagon Alley, Malfoy's was the last collection she desperately needed to peek at.

"Someone you knew had the private diaries of the foun-"

"Alright, that's it." Nott cut Riddle off, stood up placing his hand onto his forehead then pointed at the engaged two, "Let me get this right for all of us. You both tried to annihilate each other, then you practically broke her neck and you burned him alive and now you're having a book club?"

"Burned alive is a severe term, more like I accidentally unknowingly caused something to burn him. Plus we," waving her hand between Tom and her, "talked about it and all is well."

"I wouldn't necessarily say all is well, but yes we engrossed in a civilized conversation regarding the incidents. Plus I didn't practically break her neck, I barely squeezed it." Riddle shot a direct look towards Nott gesturing to stop instantly, which positively frightened him a little.

Barely squeezed it. Ya right tell that to the ring of bruises on her neck.

Not noticing, Lyra looked around, "Where's Rosier and Malfoy, aren't we going to be late to Hogsmeade?"

"They already went ahead with their girlfriends a while ago." to her surprise it was Lestrange that responded to her.

"They have girlfriends?"

"We'll properly introduce you when we get there. Speaking of that we should get going now I have some business to attend to." Lestrange stood with everyone mirroring him as well and proceeded to begin establishing their way out of the magnificent castle. She was sent back in time to execute a mass murderer but was about to stuff her face and start drinking, losing sight of her priorities. Oh, how disappointed the order would be if they saw her right now.

Selfish.

Tom glanced over to Lyra who was walking beside him while the others remain a bit far ahead. She seemed so vanished in her thoughts as if she was enduring a battle with herself." You said someone you knew, possessed an incredible library. What happened to them?"

"Next question." there was no way she could just state it was the Malfoy library, though it was a risky story to tell Lyra was confident Abraxas wouldn't realize that his manor library held one of the last copies of Unmasking the Mystery. Thankfully the Malfoy's didn't receive the primary founder's private diaries until the '70s.

"Where did you learn how to extract dark magic?" he still wondered about the first day when she burst into the dining hall. "I've merely read about it but never seen it done before."

Hesitating on answering she fiercely debated whether it would be safe for no specific details would be revealed. " I read about it too; I wanted to be prepared for it but then I found myself alone, cursed, and performing it on me months ago. Samuel was fortunate the potion I had applied guarantees he'd experience no pain after or leave a scar. Unfortunately, with me, luck wasn't on my side."

"You performed the spell on yourself? Were your people not seeking you?"No, they weren't because they didn't realize she was missing in the first place.

Harry's safety remained the number one key priority for Kingsley and he made it very clear if an unexpected attack occurred Harry was to be protected at all costs.

"I wasn't really that crucial. I guess I was overlooked. But anyway I had practice after with others who were hit with it too since for some apparent reason I could only touch them. It's extremely draining." It did seem suspicious why he was heavily invested in the topic but Tom didn't fit the specific requirements Lyra had set out for the identity of Voldemort. "Why do you know or read up so much about the dark arts Tom?"

That however didn't make anything easier because she suspected everyone of being the Dark Lord, if only she still had her core memories that held everything she had learned about it. Lyra could've been gone by now.

"I liked to fulfill the position of being the defense against the Dark Arts professor after Rakepick retires."

Never mind that doesn't seem suspicious at all.

Letting out a laugh she had tried holding it in, she just couldn't imagine him in that position, "Oh really Professor Riddle, I feel terrible for your future students. I can already tell you'll waste no time in taking away Gryffindor house points"

"How involved were you in the war." Lyra wasn't expecting that direct question to be randomly blurted out to her and momentarily stopped in her direct path with Riddle.

How involved was she?

They never sincerely appreciated or thanked her for the work she did. Not that she required it but once in a while it would've been nice.

Lyra had been tortured, suffered, and worked to the bone for the order but many leading members held out a prejudice about her chiefly based on the Slytherin house status and the close relation she had to the Malfoy's.

In fact, they utilized her extensive knowledge of the Dark Arts when needed to aid others but no one was really there for her when she became the wounded one. Betraying the family who had embraced her into their home, made her a part of them, gone, all just to save Harry, Ron and Hermione from being tortured at the manor.

"Professor of the Dark Arts huh, as annoying as you are Tom I sense you'll naturally make a tremendous addition to the staff one day." resuming her path, she departed from him standing there alone for a while.

Deflecting. Twice now when he's brought up war, she shuts down in a grand manner of seconds. What is it she's exactly hiding about her active involvement in it?

The rest of the group had already scattered since the two fell behind. They blinked at one another lost on what they're supposed to do.

She comprehends from the very visible annoyed face the last thing Tom wanted was to be left alone with her, "If you want you can ditch me, I'll look around by myself."

"I wouldn't be a model prefect if I voluntarily left you all alone now would I. I remember you and Nott vigorously talking about honeydukes. Let's go."He confidently led the way into the shop she grew to love as a child.

Lyra told herself she would only get one or two things.

But she lied.

Walking out of honeydukes excitedly, Tom had so chivalrously held the bag of sweets she had eagerly bought, which was enough to feed the entire Slytherin table. While going towards The ThreeBroom Sticks Nott had popped out in front of them with an exceptionally large bag as well from Honeydukes.

"Did the two of you clear out that shop? How is it possible for the both of you to purchase an entire bag of sweets" Tom was baffled by how similar the two were, from their practical jokes to the clear taste in appetite.

"Where did you two go by the way? We turned around and saw you guys were gone."

"Got lost in conversation that's all." Lyra opened the door towards the pub where everyone had seemed to meet up and sat down.

Nott carefully pulled a chair out for her and sat across, analyzing Tom and Lyra, "I find this very weird.", while Riddle found a seat right next to her.

Abraxas and Rosier secured their protecting arms draped across their girlfriends who one resembled someone she knew but couldn't place her finger on it but there was another girl one she didn't know would be joining them.

Abraxas called out to her, "Lyra this is my gorgeous girlfriend Medusa Travers. Medusa this is Lyra Lenkrov."

She was beautiful, her systematically styled golden hair gathered into a sleek ponytail, the crystallized green eyes that greeted her with such genuine kindness. Expensive jewelry draped across her graceful neck and the olive tone skin made it pop out even more.

"Lyra I've heard so much about you, a shame we haven't had a chance to meet yet. You always disappear before I got a moment to catch you in the common room." her voice sounded like velvet as if she could set you in a hypnotic state.

"It's a pleasure Medusa. I haven't really been mingling with anyone, sincere apologies we haven't met sooner, I'm a little shy." her previous remark made Riddle scoff causing her to nudge him on the elbow.

"And this lovely woman currently wrapped around my arms is Guinevere Parkinson." Pansy's direct ancestor, that's why she looked familiar. Her oil-slicked raven hair, which made it seem smooth and silky, and her small pug face had striking similarities to the Parkinson girl she had known. Though she didn't seem as kind or welcoming as Medusa.

Leaning forwards away from Rosier she took a careful look at her up and down and hummed to herself "So you're the one who disfigured Riddle's hand? Call me Gwen and remind me to buy you a drink then."

" It's not funny Gwen she could've killed him" the unknown girl glanced shrewdly at her with anger supporting her head high.

"Oh relax Frey he's fine, aren't you Riddle," Medusa exclaimed.

"Pft I think it'll take more than an accidental burning to kill Tom and I didn't disfigure him " Lyra reached for Riddle's hand, plucked it from his side, and held it up, "see all healed."

The direct action angered the Frey girl.

She called him Tom, she touched him without Riddle eagerly pushing her away as he typically does with Frey.

What's so special about her. 

The tension broke when someone called out for Lyra upon turning her head she saw it was Samuel and rushed out of her seat where he embraced her into a hug.

"Samuel! Good Merlin I was wondering if you were alright? Let me see the wound did it heal right?" she instantly reached for his shirt eager to see if he properly did heal alright.

"At least buy me dinner first if you're going to undress me. I'm not a common whore I possess some standards." he joked while she annoyingly laughed at his remark.

He lifted his shirt much higher than was needed, to reveal the chiseled abdomen that he was so proud of. An extremely faint line currently replaced the gruesome infected wound that temporarily resided on his stomach.

"It looks remarkable you healed very quickly."She placed her fingers onto the faint light and felt satisfied with her healing abilities, a little envious of his mark compared to hers. Envious that he had her at the time but Lyra had no one during her pain.

"I had a remarkable healer as you well know. She was rather attractive and talented."

"Well, I have to meet this stunning woman sometime soon then." Lyra knew the affections Samuel had for her, but she thought of him as nothing more than a dear friend. There was no time for romance.

"Isn't this the man who lost his mind at the dining hall a few days ago?" Mulciber had intervened in their conversation and intentionally threw his hand over her shoulder keeping it there.

"Is that what I'm known as in Hogwarts, the man who lost his mind?"

"Samuel" he extended his hand out to Mulciber while eyeing the hand wrapped around Lyra's shoulder.

Staring at the hand then back to Samuel not extending his out as well, "Alastor Mulciber. Sorry to break up the joyful reunion but we have a limited time before going back to the castle. Do you mind?"

"Alastor!" she struck his chest at the sudden rudeness.

"It's fine Lyra, I have to get to the ministry anyway. I hope to run into you again."

"See you again Samuel"

He motioned a reach for a hug but parted off when Mulciber didn't let her go but she didn't realize for she was scolding him for his behavior.

"That was downright rude Alastor." Brushing off his shoulder she walked off while he followed her.

"He had his grimy hands all over you, honestly he didn't need to lift his shirt up that much. Might as well have taken it off." approaching, everyone observed the two fighting at the head of the table.

When he had just comprehended something. "Since when do you call me Alastor?"

" I'm not going to always refer you all by last names as if we're in the queen's army." gaining her seat back next to Tom, he seemed somewhat agitated. She thought it was because of the twos loud bickering but paid no mind to it. "He was being polite you ass and what was with the holier than thou attitude."

" There's something off about him, something suspicious. Lyra not everyone is to be treated with your kindness." he looked away from her and pulled out a cigarette that was sitting in front of him lighting it with a snap of his fingers.

"Thank you for informing me with you knowing him for all of 5 seconds!" Who the hell was he to say there's something off about Samuel. "Even IF there was something shady about him, you very well know," bringing her attention to Tom then back to Alastor, "I can take care of myself."

"Okay lovebirds break it off." Gwen had cut in when no one had the courage to make them stop.

After a few moments of eternal silence, he pointed his finger at her, "She started it."

"Did NOT!"

"Both of you are acting like children enough." It was Riddles words that made both of them immediately stop.

Refusing to listen to him Lyra opened her mouth to further the fight because Alastors actions were not necessary.

"Lenkrov I wouldn't ." he sounded authoritative, his voice shifted into a much more severe tone. Not wanting to pursue the fight just as the two barely made amends she stopped.


	18. Chapter 18

While Lyra quickly wanted to run towards her room to study some books she had checked out from the library. Medusa had other elaborate plans and grabbed her to eagerly join everyone in the common room to get to know one another better.

Sitting in a social circle with the two couples tangled up with each other, no one spoke out first.

It was so awkward that Lyra began to fumble with her hands dig into the nails and carefully observe the glittering rings on her fingers.

A mere few seconds later she pulled out a cigarette and gestured one towards Tom who silently grasped one and lit both hers and his.

Every interaction, every touch, or gesture between the elected two seemed to build up Frey's fierce hatred towards her. She had known Tom for 6 years and never got to experience the similar behavior he's displaying for Lyra.

"Sooooo Lyra," her head turned up to Gwen, who had once again spoken up when no one wanted to, "Lenkrov, I've never heard the name before, is it muggle?"

Muggle.

She hated the term being used as if it was derogatory. Properly burying her mild discomfort in the question and kindly answered,

"It is muggle though I'm not muggle-born. I was only left with a first and middle name at the orphanage so they just assigned me a random last name." one of the few truths she cared to willingly share with these people.

"Then how do you know you're a pureblood if you grew up an orphan?" Frey had cut herself into the conversation.

"A wizard had taken me in around when I was seven. When we went to Gringotts for the first time the impenetrable barrier for the purebloods only level allowed me to pass peacefully."

In reality, it was Dumbledore who had revealed her blood status to her on the first memorable day at Hogwarts, she had constantly wondered how he knew and bothered him with the question, but all he would say to her was, "Your eyes share a story you do not remember." It drove her mad for the lengthiest time how every answer seemed so vague and led to even more questions.

Frey snickered to herself, "So you don't know who your parents are, quite sad really."

It was inevitably one subject Lyra loathed talking about.

"I wouldn't care to know who they are, anyone willingly abandoning their own newborn child isn't fit to be called a parent. They could be dead and for one second I would not mourn them so on the contrary it isn't 'quite sad really'. They remain nothing but strangers to me"

"But don't you ca-"

"Lyra you said you were left with a middle name too, what is it." Medusa had kindly cut Frey off as she instantly saw the anger and discomfort in Lyra's expressive face.

"Arabella, so my full name is Lyra Arabella Lenkrov. It's latin for-"

"Yielding to prayer."

Turning towards him puzzled, "How'd you know that Riddle." he glanced at her for a few seconds when she remembered, "Oh I forgot you speak Latin as well."

"He also speaks French too he's just so smart. He's one of the smartest students in the school" Frey looked approvingly at him as if Riddle was her world, with doe eyes and an enthusiastic smile.

Lyra looked at Tom who's concentrated attention was still on her, "So that's two things we also have in common, don't tell me you also speak Russian and Pars-" she bit her tongue stopping herself from revealing she was a Parselmouth.

"Russian no I haven't expressed an interest in studying it. And what?" Turning her gaze away from Tom staring onto the table.

"And..... and....." stupidly she blurted out the first possible thing that popped into her head, turning back to him, " and Portuguese!"

"Why the bloody hell would you learn Portuguese?" Finally, someone else had cut into the conversation, Lestrange.

"I don't speak it but I know a few phrases that's all" hoping her lie had worked. "Well, this interrogation has been fun we can pursue it later, I'm going to and see Septimus before dinner. Bye-bye."

Exiting the common room sighing contentedly with relief, she began to look for the Weasley boy and gift him a box of chocolate frogs she had earlier purchased.

Riddle believed that there was something Lyra was going to inadvertently reveal that she bit her tongue, it wandered in his mind. Not allowing it go he stood up to follow behind Lyra determined to interrogate her.

"I don't like her, did you note the way she threw herself at that man in the pub. Honestly maintains no class." Frey huffed thinking everyone else shared her same opinion.

"You mean the same way you throw yourself at Riddle, honestly no class." Medusa had spoken up, with then Gwen supported her up,

"Shaming her for having no parents was real low, but coming from you it's not surprising. Let's go Justus before I lose my appetite for dinner later." the couple stood up and produced their way out of the group.

Quickly everyone had scattered around away from Frey but right before leaving Mucliber stated stood next to Avery and Nott, "She might have no parents but clearly was raised better than you."

Departing from her all alone sitting with her hatred towards the unknown girl.

"Septimus!" she cried out.

He was standing with a few other Gryffindors when she made her way towards them.

"Hey I wanted to give you these, I got them from Honeydukes but I don't know if you like them" she politely handed over the small bag filled with various chocolate flavored frogs.

A charming smile appeared on his kindly face and he embraced her in an affectionate hug. "They're in fact my favorite, you didn't have to do that."

"I wanted to, an apology for causing you to be late for Slughorn’s."

"Well it did get me house points so I won’t complain. Where are my manners allow me to properly introduce you, guys this is Ly-" but Septimus was cut off.

"Ya we know." the first Gryffindor said instantly.

"Slytherin", one of the friends observed her up and down focused on the house crest embroidered on her uniform, "In Riddles Gang aren't you?"

"His gang? On second thought I don't want to be introduced to someone whose head is far up his own ass. Septimus I'll catch you later when you're with a more pleasurable company" with a graceful turn of her heel she walked away.

Angrily turning a corner of the corridor, she bumped into none other than Mr. Sunshine himself.

Riddle.

"Merlin why are you everywhere I go, you're like one of the castle ghosts."

"I don't believe you." not allowing her to answer or scarcely challenge his statement.

He grabbed her wrist and began escorting her to the astronomy tower. "Riddle please I'm starving we can gaze upon the horizons later."

Closing the door behind them, the two stood, blinking at one another until he spoke,

"Portuguese."

"Portuguese," she repeated wonderingly after him.

"You were going to reveal something else but stopped yourself." Shit.

"I debated on whether or not I should mention it since again I merely know a few specific words that's all." practicing her lying really did come to be a good thing.

"You're a terrible liar Lenkrov you know that. Now tell me the truth," he demanded fiercely.

"That is the truth, do you think I'm concealing the fact I speak ancient greek or something. Stop making it seem like everything I do is a lie." Lyra kept calm not wanting to show the petty worry on her face.

'BECAUSE IT IS A LIE!" he growled, "Every word every action you typically do is undoubtedly a lie. Want to know why I think that? There are no official records of you in Russia and absolutely none in the wizarding world you're who's the ghost in the castle."

"You RESEARCHED ME?, I'm not a fucking potions project for you to dive into my life." she knew that Riddle had been suspicious of her ever since the ball. But Lyra never managed to think he would actually reach out anywhere to find out about her.

"Then why? Why is there nothing about you at the orphana-"

"BECAUSE I BURNED IT DOWN ARE YOU HAPPY RIDDLE? I triggered the fire because of my magic, I wanted them to burn for what they did to me. I loathed the place, the continuous abuse, the active hatred towards me ARE YOU SATISFIED? There's no official record of me here either because I was intentionally hidden. You know how the ministry feels about a wizard hurting muggles." Her deliberate lie contained some truth to it. She loathed the orphanage she grew up in, the abuse and hatred they all had for her, claiming she was the modern devil.

They shouldn't be left alone when angry, it inevitably leads to one of them injuring each other. Cooling her temper down she did no more than push past him and leave towards dinner.

Of course, she would lie, from what Nott and Avery had found out about her there was no mention of the orphanage burning down. If she was to have been caught, the ministry would've marked her as dangerous, maybe indeed send her to Azkaban.

That explained nothing of her still. Though he obtained some direct answers about her identity, there was still much to uncover about her.

" ** _the abuse, the active hatred towards me."_** her words echoed into his mind knowing the exact measurements of her time there. The Wools orphanage called him a monster, made it very known in every possible chance of their dislike and fear towards him.

Stabbing at her food, smushed between Nott and Mulciber she remembers the events that had so delightfully transpired moments ago in the tower. She was starving but possessed no more appetite to eat, whereas Nott devoured the entire dish sitting in front of him.

" _Every word every action you do is a lie_ ," she whispered to herself mocking his words.

"What?" Nott spoke as he heard her mumble with food in his mouth.

She reached for his face and instantly closed his mouth turning his head away, "Chew before you speak or you'll choke." and so he eagerly bought his concentrated attention back to his plate.

She however didn't speak to Mucliber for what he did in the pub. Neither one broke and merely directed hostile glances at one another.

What caused her to lose her appetite, even more, was when Riddle and Frey came together sitting right in front of her.

"I wonder if they're together?" she genuinely thought to herself, "They're horrible and rightfully deserve each other." again with her thoughts. Stabbing viciously at her food.

"Oh, Lyra you're not eating? Good for you, you could stand to lose a few pounds." Frey had intentionally thrown a jab at her, normally she would glance it off not caring, but she needed to take her anger out on someone.

"Listen Frey whatever your last name is, you and me," leveling her finger between them, "are not friends, and I don't want to be your friend. So I suggest you maintain your opinions to yourself."

Stunned at her bluntness Frey didn't speak but looked over to Riddle thinking he would fiercely defend her, instead he was buried in a book not caring. Visibly angry she stood balling her fists and walked away while cursing Lyra.

"Was it something I said? Lyra stated innocently.

"You absolutely are a piece of work." The first thing Mulciber has said to her in countless hours. She missed his foolish remarks.

She flung her hand onto his broad shoulder bringing their faces close to one another,"You're an idiot, now let's put that stupid argument behind us."

Mirroring her, he placed his hand on her shoulder as well, "Only if you make those muffins again."

"I'll do you one better I'll make cookies." and with her statement, he pulled her into a tightening hug for a few seconds and pulled back staring at her then towards Riddle who kept his focus onto her.

"Looks like I won't be the only one needing your friendships cookies."

Brushing off Mulciber, "You," pointing eagerly at Riddle, "We need to talk. Tonight in the kitchens."

"How come he gets to be there when you make the cookies and I-" she promptly shut him up by stuffing a roll of bread into his mouth.

"After prefect rounds." without another word the conversation between the two ended.


	19. Chapter 19

The kitchens.

One of her preferred places to be, it was quiet and hardly anyone was ever in there except the castle elves. Lyra instantly began to bake the sweets she had so promised Mulicber earlier in the day and had set them to bake, impatiently waiting for Riddle to finish his prefect rounds and join her.

But would he show? It was practically midnight when she had begun baking. No, he would, he said he would.

"Did you invite me here so I can observe you bribe Mulciber with whatever it is you are making?" he stood against the kitchen opening visibly annoyed.

"I'm not bribing him; I'm being kind to him." Merely waving her hand a stool had instantly appeared across from her, she motions him to sit. Lyra somehow had to make him entrust her and drop the suspicions he had of her.

"You don't trust me. I don't trust you. So let's properly fix that. Two questions each and we're not allowed to skip one. No lying. How does that sound?" she interlaced her fingers and sternly set them down onto the table."Why would I ever tell you anything about me," Riddle stated with his brawny arms crossed.

"Fine, then I won't tell you anything about me. Absolutely nothing." she mimicked Riddle's posture directly crossing her arms as well.

He instantly looked to his side and after a few moments of mutual silence he turned back towards her, "three questions."

"Two questions." she persisted regardless.

"Okay, two questions no lying. You said they abused you, the orphanage. Why?"

She breathed in heavily, "From a young age I've displayed magic, not necessarily strong enough for the ministry to naturally notice but the muggles...they noticed. At first, it was a plate flying off shelves, or a plush toy levitating in the air but one day after getting picked on by some older kids, I remember how much I wanted them to hurt, to merely be taught a lesson." letting out a silent sigh, she continued, "So I broke two of their arms with just the movement of my wrist. After that, the nuns claimed I was possessed by the devil himself, they would summon a priest and perform exorcisms on me every month. Binding me to the bed, starving me for days. They even marked me with their God's sacred symbol on my shoulder." she stood up taking her stool next to him and gently pulled down her sleeve to reveal a mangled scar, "When I was struck with the same curse that Samuel was it covered it up with a new scar. I quite like this one better compared to the old one."

He solely looked at her, usually when those who find out about her abuse they would look at Lyra with such pity and sorrow as if she was a wounded dog. But not him, the mild expression on his sharp face was hard to tell what emotion he was displaying.

"Why are you so suspicious and hostile towards me." Asking her first question.

"I don't trust people easily, especially those who intentionally leave me a lasting scar after a first meeting." he knowingly lied.

"We said we wouldn't lie, I won't answer the question you ask me next if you continue, plus." pulling her trousers up to reveal her ankle, "you intentionally left me with one too."

He had to deliver some version of the truth to her, he couldn't very well say he felt credibly threatened by her magic or that he wanted her to be on his side when his plans continued, "Fine, it's because you show up from nowhere with a powerful display of magic and then disappear only to show up at Hogwarts and again display your magic. On top of that, no one recognizes, who you are, you aren't heard of in the wizarding world."

"So you thought I was suspicious just because I was skilled at magic." she let out a light laugh, " I will admit Riddle your magic is exceptional and better than any students I've seen here, hell even better than some wizards I've come across. But the fundamental difference between you and me is how we utilize it. I practiced my magic in the field, and it cost me. While you remain a gifted student, you've never fought out there in the real world. I'm not trying to set you down in any way or form but we've practiced our magic in different settings."

"Then why did you run after our duel. What was the reason and no this isn't my second question."

"Is it possible because you gripped me so hard after I unwanded you or oh had six other men chase me across that complex maze of a manor. Imagine if you were a woman who beat a visibly pissed-off man in a duel and then turned to instantly see seven grown men chasing you." A ding captured her attention that the cookies were ready. She flicked her wand taking it out of the oven and placed it right in front of them.

"We're not friends." he blurted out.

"I never thought of you as one." Lyra scoffed.

As a result, the two in absolute silence and loneliness inspecting each other's faces lost in their own thoughts.

He didn't trust her; he detested her.

She didn't like him. He intentionally hurt her.

From a distance, they overheard voices but didn't devote their attention away from each other.

"I can smell them all the way from the dorms. It's midnight, and I've been waiting for hours Nott." Mulciber is being as impatient as ever.

"Riddle and Lyra are likely still talking; we shouldn't dist-" Nott and Mulciber stood as they anxiously watched Riddle and Lyra silently sitting.

Not knowing what to do they slowly backed away trying not to disturb them.

"You three can enjoy the monstrosity she made." he leaned close to her ear and gently whispered, "I however have one more question." and took his leave before grabbing a cookie off the decorative plate.

Mulciber rushed over and heavily took a whiff and eyed Lyra who nodded permission for him to desperately try one. "I say this with caution, but these are absolutely much better than Honeydukes."

Nott gasped in an emotional tone placing his hand over his chest, "Alastor Mulciber you take that back right no-" Lyra shoved one down his throat immediately cutting his sentence off.

Chewing angrily for a second then smiling as if he won the house cup he slammed his hand onto the wood table, "These...are...PERFECTION. You positively display a talent for this."

"Before you two inhale this entire plate let's accompany these." Lyra pried the plate away from them, " to the common room and maybe distribute some with the rest."

They both groaned in mild annoyance when Nott spoke up first, "They're all just getting drunk around the fireplace, they don't need it."

"All the better it's been a while since I've had something to drink. Let's go."

The elected two frantically followed her out, their noses hovering around the plate until they reached the common room.

"What smells so delicious?" Avery questioned before he spotted the three. "Lyra you spoil us." he grinned. Turning towards everyone, Malfoy, Medusa, Lestrange, and Rosier. "You have to try her baking."

She obtained an unwanted seat next to Lestrange while Mulciber and Nott sat comfortably on the other side of them. The common room reeked of cigarette smoke and fire whiskey.

Everyone took a small piece to themselves, all but Lestrange who had a bottle grasped in his hand.

"Lyra these are absolutely delicious," stated Medusa. So on they each enthusiastically praised her skills making Lyra blush a little in shyness. She directed her hand over towards Lestrange gesturing the bottle.

"Didn't take you as a drinker" he willingly handed it over to her.

With one gulp she took the first drink she's had in ages awfully missing it. She felt pleasant, something she hasn't experienced since the moment she set foot in this school. Surrounded by people who would one dreadful day support a bald, no-nose, deranged serial killer. And she felt pleasant in their company.

An hour later they had all gone to bed, except her and Lestrange, no they just sat to themselves as he conjured another bottle for himself in the maddening silence. 

She comprehended why Riddle would naturally dislike her or have negative feelings towards her, but not Lestrange. As far as she remembers correctly Lyra had done nothing towards him. Staring at him, he noticed. "What?"

"Why are you such a bitch towards me? Riddle I get but you... you I don't."

"Your Vocabulary never ceases to surprise me. What's the matter can't handle someone not praising you for one minute." he spat out at her.

"I don't need praising, and as far as I know I haven't done anything towards you so why Lestrange."

The brutal truth realistically was she had done something towards him, not directly towards him but because of her Lestrange had to accept the consequences of failing to find her on Riddles demand. 

The cruciatus curse was used twice on him by Riddle in the intensive weeks they failed to find her. But only he received cruel punishment for his social status was slightly higher than the rest. With all that money and power he failed to obtain her.

Failed to obtain one little witch.

He angrily stood up walking away from her, "Leave it alone Lenkrov."

She rushed eagerly in front of him blocking the entrance of the dorms, "Hard to leave it alone when you make it very clear you don't like me."

"Lyra Lyra Lyra. It's all I've been hearing, and it's driving me fucking mad! I thought I was done with you for good but then you showed up here, you merely had to show up and even so be sorted to my house." 

"It's MY house as well; you don't own Slytherins. I've tried to be nice or at least not express my dislike towards you but you make it so fucking hard," she shouted loud enough to wake the whole dorm." wait what does that mean 'I thought I was done with you for good but then you showed up here'?"

She very well knew they eagerly searched for her after the run-in at Malfoy's but what did that have to do with the visible hatred. He eagerly pushed her off to the side but Lyra wouldn't let it go so easily. 

Grabbing his arm and shifting him to overlook her, Lestrange couldn't conceal his evident anger while he was drunk and pinned her against the stone wall by her upper arms. 

They just looked at one another for seconds that felt like minutes had gone by.

Before she could comprehend his following action, he smashed his soft lips against hers. Instead of forcing him away, screaming at him, she parted her lips as she gasped deepening the kiss, his tongue pushing past hers. A unique sound growled from the back of his throat, pressing his body onto her even harder. 

This was an angry kiss. No fireworks, no genuine feelings but built-up anger.

He clasped his hands roughly around her thighs gathering her hips against his noticeable bulge, slamming her harder into the wall. She instantly gripped her fingers into his raven hair jerking it towards her neck, causing him to go even madder with his actions. 

He forcibly ripped her wool turtle neck exposing the bruised pattern left behind placing hot-wet kisses down her graceful neck. His warm tongue not parting from them for a second, until he bit down with his teeth, causing an unintentional moan to escape her lips transmitting a pulse to her lower body. 

She was enjoying it.

Their heavy breathless bodies grinding against one another, practically feeling each other's heartbeats. He reached for the slight curve of her jaw pulling her soft, bruised lips back onto his, groaning in her mouth as she slowly began moving her hips up and down. Lestrange leaned his head back in pure pleasure allowing her to latch into his chiseled jaw, gently teasing him with nibble bites and kisses.

"Who the bloody hell is shagging in the hallway?" a voice yelled around the halls with no one in sight.

Pulled back to reality the two looked at each other and pushed one another off mortified by what had merely happened.

Hearing the sounds of people nearing towards them, they exchanged a shameful wide eyed panicked look and ran to their rooms.

Slamming it shut Lyra looked at herself in the mirror her lips bruised, hair a tangled mess and her shirt ripped open revealing her breasts.

“FUCK” she yelled at herself.

“FUCK!” Lestrange yelled as he slammed his door.


	20. Chapter 20

The weeks went by with Lestrange and Lyra avoiding each other as much as they could. One accidental touch or direct eye contact resulted in them turning instantly away from one another. If they were to almost be left alone they would quickly bolt away in opposing directions.

Back in potions class, Slughorn had assigned them to prepare an in-class paper on the side effects of Angels Trumpet draughts if brewed incorrectly.

"Does anyone have an extra quill?" Lestrange frustratedly asked sitting across from her.

Without looking at him she reached for her overstuffed bag and pulled out an extra quill she always carried. Motioning it towards him she however didn't want to meet his eyes. It wasn't until his hands brushed onto her till she looked up, his hand on top of hers trying to grab the quill. The memory of his hands roaming aimlessly around her thighs ripping open her shirt flashed into both their minds.

Wide-eyed looking at each other they quickly pulled away with him coughing, "Thank you."  
"What the hell is going on between you two? You've been acting like this for weeks now?" Avery whispered to not capture Slughorn's attention.

"I don't know what you're talking about now, shut it before Slughorn thinks we're cheating," Lyra spoke out.

She couldn't concentrate and neither could he. The events with difficulty kept expressing themselves in their mind. She shuddered at the memory of him biting down onto her sore neck and shook her head to redraw her focus.

Completing the finishing touches of her paper Lyra didn't observe Riddle surveying her and Lestrange, how his focus now shifted onto Lestrange and stayed there. He gradually shifted his body to be close to Lyra and whispered, "What did happen?" raising his eyebrow.

Looking at him, "Nothing now leave me alone." Lyra placed her onto his cheek and lightly prodded him away.

"Touch me again and-"

"Ya ya, you'll kill me or whatever. Finish your paper." Riddle didn't comprehend why Lyra remained the only person who didn't cower in fear when he threatened her. She knows Riddle was capable enough to enact his threats, but that didn't cease her. One look was always enough to scarcely pierce fear or slavish obedience towards the frightened boys, but not her.

In the previous weeks, the two always bickered at one another. He would insist he was correct, and she would swear horribly at him insisting she was correct instead. They fought over homework, projects, even what type of music is better, but it was never escalated to anything physical like before.

Even the boys minded how Lyra was 'allowed' to carry out things they wouldn't dare to attempt towards Riddle. How she would constantly cross-examine him, argues with his opinions, or how Riddle allowed her to still touch him even after he'd threaten her. But they never questioned Riddle about it, keeping to themselves.

After potions, Lyra, Riddle, Gwen, and Rosier headed towards the library while the rest, minus Malfoy who was with his girlfriend, went to quidditch practice for the big game later against Hufflepuff.

A month at Hogwarts and she was nowhere close enough to finding any Horcruxes or Voldemort. She had carefully followed everyone one at a time to see if anything suspicious would be found but the sole thing she uncovered was how Rosier and Malfoy would be glued to their girlfriends or Riddle mainly doing his prefect rounds. She didn't suspect Avery, Mulciber, or Nott solely based on the fact the four would always spend time together either in their dorms late at night drinking or her desperately trying to help them with their potions and defense against the dark arts class.

It began to irk her, wondering if Draco had sent someone else in the order, they would have succeeded easily. Would they? Or whatever happened to her memories happen as well to anyone else in her position.

She had crossed each of them off of her list meaning they weren't the Dark Lord but they would along with their later generations support him.

"Earth to Lyra hello?" the snapping of fingers redrew her attention to Gwen.

"Sorry lost in thought, what was that?" she redirected her face to Gwen.

"I said,'' Are you bringing anyone to the victory party later?" she leaned against her arm.

"We haven't won yet, but we're throwing a party? I was just gonna ask if Mulciber or Nott wanted to come with me." who else could she possibly ask.

"No, they're quidditch players, you have to bring someone else. And they'll win, they typically do in the first game."

"I don't really talk to anyone outside of Slytherin. Maybe I'll ask Septimus" would she even be allowed to bring a Gryffindor in their common room. "or Riddle maybe you'd care to reluctantly join me?"

"You can't bring him, he's going with Frey and no Gryffindors", Gwen stated bluntly.

"I'll go alone then it's fine. Riddle, I didn't know you were dating." Lyra said in a surprised tone.

  
"We aren’t dating. She invited herself to come with me." He stood up and gathered his books before walking off.

"What's his problem?" Lyra asked Rosier.

"Don't ask me, he's been weird since Potions. Well, Lyra apologies but me and Gwen have to stop at Hogsmeade before the party for some treats. You’re coming to the game right? " they began to gather their books as well.

"As much as I wish I could, I have detention with Dumbledore for getting caught after overnight curfew, but I'll be there in time for the party." Lyra also packed up, wanting to make a brief stop somewhere before heading to detention.

Gwen clutched her face with both of her hands, burning a look into Lyra's eyes, "You better come." and walked off hand in hand with Rosier.

Lyra wanted to talk to Lestrange and move past their awkwardness after the kiss, it was very noticeable to everyone and she wanted to move on from it. She found her way and walked into the boy's empty locker-room waiting for him to finish with practice.

Noticing a picture placed on the plastered wall, she walked towards it to see it was the quidditch team in their uniform holding up the final championship trophy for winning the last game of the year. They looked so thrilled, everywhere she turned there was some memory for her placed there. The picture eerily resembles a similar one that was framed in the Slytherin common room when Draco and Blaise had won the final game as well in her second year.

"What are you doing here?" she turned to see Lestrange sweating in his uniform, taking a seat between the lockers with his knees between the bench.

She walked over and sat in the same way, her knees spread out as well. "Listen Lestrange, whether we like it or not, we kissed. We were drunk and fighting and it didn’t mean anything."

"Absolutely nothing." he nodded in agreement.

"Great. Then we can set it past us; this awkwardness between us has gone so far to everyone noticing. We share the same friends and are going to be around each other so let's merely forget about it. Deal?" he extended her nervous hand out expecting him to shake it.

He pondered for a moment, observing the peculiar way she sat in her uniform skirt. No woman even with trousers would sit that unusual way. He scooted in closer to the point where their knees scarcely touched, "Deal." he accepted her hand in shaking it.

But neither let go. She stared at his hands, the set of rings placed onto his fingers. He stared at her posture, allowing his thoughts loose. When the two slowly looked at each other then their burning lips, still remembering the events that occurred between them.

Lestrange hauled her in, impulsively kissing her like it was an ordinary behavior. She leaned into it with him placing his hands on her hips forcefully pulling her on top of him.

It felt different, no feelings once again but they couldn’t blame their actions on firewhiskey or a whisk of pent-up anger that spread between them.

She wrapped her hands around his brawny shoulders allowing her to get lost in the desperate moment. He tightened his grip against her hips and began to shift them up and down slowly, causing a groan to escape from the back of his throat. Her ragged breath hitched at the suddenness of his movement causing a whimper to be let out.

His head instantly dropped into her neck heavily breathing while he placed aggressive kisses on her exposed neck, sucking on it as she dug her nails into his shoulders still grinding her as he picked up the pace.

Lestrange placed one eager hand into the curly mess of her hair pulling it back to reveal her neck more but her movements naturally became of her own, not with the personal help of him.  
"We---- we shou." she barely managed to state before voluntarily cutting her off with him bouncing his legs, pressing into her deeper onto his lap.

He latched his teeth into her throat, forcibly closing her eyes she let out a heavy moan, with him mumbling into her skin, " _Fuck_."

He pulled her fragrant hair again to bear her innocent eyes, those immense brown eyes which he loathed and eagerly watched as she was delicately flushed with rosy pink tainting her burning cheeks. They maintained their direct gaze as she sped up her thighs cradling him out of breath.

A harsh sound recklessly caused him to throw her off with Lyra falling to the floor, they turned their attention towards the hall where Mucliber and Nott were walking in laughing. The two stopped and stared wonderingly at Lestrange standing over her, with her onto the unconscious floor.

"What the fuck." Mulciber dropped his broom and instantly jumped onto Lestrange, grabbing his collar and jostling him into the lockers, "Did you hurt her."

Nott walked over to Lyra supporting her up, "Mulciber it's fine I just tripped."

He still didn’t let go, "I'll ask again _did_.. _you_.. _hurt_.. _her_ "

"No I didn’t fucking touch her!" Lestrange yelled as he also placed his gripping hands around Mulcibers collar.

She rushed eagerly towards him desperately trying to pry them apart,"Alastor Mulciber let him go right now, I said I fell that’s all."

They pushed one another off still standing too close.

"Nott take Mulciber and go. I need to talk to Lestrange." and so Nott captured him and forcefully pushed him out of the locker room.

"This will never happen again Lenkrov." he correctly stated while fixing his uniform.

"This was the last time Lestrange but we still act normal okay?"Lestrange outstretched his eager hand as did she and carefully shook on it. It was and will remain the last time.

She recovered her bag running out of the locker-room and developed her route to Dumbledore's classroom for dentition. When Lyra got to the door, there was a handwritten note pinned onto it.

" _Properly_ _clean_ _the_ _transfiguration_ _classroom_ _and_ _place_ _all_ _individual_ _items_ _away_. _I'll_ _acknowledge_ _if_ _you_ _use_ _magic_."

- _A.B_


	21. Chapter 21

Two Hours, it took Lyra two countless hours by hand to properly clean and restore the transfigurations classroom.

The game was already over by the time she had completed detention and to no surprise, Slytherin had won against Hufflepuff. The common room was packed with people drinking, laughing, and enjoying the time of their life.

"LYRA!" Mulciber, who reeked of alcohol, ran towards her picking her up and spinning them in a hug still sweating in his bright green and silver uniform.

"Congratulations on the win." she squeezed him hard in their hug.

"Hey, I want one too." Nott cut in with a gloomy face glancing towards them.

Mulciber placed her down and she ran frantically into Nott's arms congratulating him as well, "Avery get in this hug." He smiled grimly and ran towards Nott and Lyra wrapping his arm around the two in the affectionate hug. A few seconds passed and they let each other go to find Lestrange standing behind them with alcoholic drinks in his hand.

Lyra walked over to him, with Lestrange handing a drink towards her and she shook his hand, " I knew you'd win."

"Glad to know you had faith in me." with a clink of their cups, they both took a gulp of their shots.

"I'm going to go change, I'll be right back," she said to the drunk boys.

"Lyra where are you going." Medusa discovered her.

"I just need to change since I'm in my uniform."

"Lyra with all due respect you possess terrible taste in clothes, me and Gwen will dress you." before she could disagree Gwen and Medusa took hold of her dragging Lyra towards their room.

"I haven't seen you wear a dress or even a skirt outside of your shabby uniform. We'll be changing that." Gwen stated as she ripped off Lyra's uniform.

The girls stood in horror as they anxiously examined the disfiguring scars that were spread across her frail body but brushed it off instead of questioning her.

They did her makeup, putting all odd sorts of stuff on her face. Medusa flicked her wand over Lyra's grizzled hair changing her messy curls into straight defined curls.

Gwen had placed her into a flowy dark green dress that had floral patterns spread throughout, cutting off just a little above her knees and her sleeves stopping at her elbows. It hugged her ample waist just tight extenuating her curves and with the final touches, they spun her around the polished mirror to reveal the satisfactory results.

Lyra sat there shocked at her altered appearance, her rosy lips and dark eyeliner spread across her lid. The dress, especially the dress felt foreign to her, this all did. She didn't put this much effort into the Malfoy ball months ago.

"I look like a Barbie," Lyra stated as she stood up observing herself.

"I don't know who Barbie is, but I'll take it as a sincere compliment, now shall we go?" Medusa spoke as she and Gwen linked arms with Lyra and fled their room.

"Guy's I look weird can I at least wear trousers." Lyra felt a tad bit embarrassed in her new look.

"No trousers shut up." Gwen lured her down the stairs to the common room.

She felt uncomfortable in her unusual appearance because it didn't feel like her at all. Gwen and Medusa had ran towards their boyfriends instantly wrapping their arms around them and began to socialize. She desperately needed to drink to take her nervousness away.

"This is new." Lyra turned her head to see Riddle standing in his grey trousers and white dress shirt handing her an overflowing cup of firewhiskey.

"Don't make fun of me. I already feel absurd," she stated as she seized the cup taking a small sip of it. "This is new too." Lyra gestured at Riddle's personal clothing.

Without responding he merely walked away puzzling her. Before she could follow him to ask why he was showing an odd behavior towards her Mulciber took hold of her hand spinning her in a circle,

"My my what's with the new makeover?"

"Oh shut it Gwen and Medusa achieved this." she embarrassingly lowered her head into her hands.

"I think you look fabulous; I admire this look."

"Please can we just drink so I don't have any memory of this," she begged.

He directed her to the table surrounding everyone and they both began to excessively drink.

Lyra had instantly lost count of how much alcohol she had eagerly consumed in the countless hours that had gone by. But she didn't care, this one night she wouldn't care about anything.

Looking at the end of the common room she saw Frey sitting on Riddle's lap in the armchair. Placing little kisses and whispering passionately into his private ear. While he paid no attention and occupied his mind with the dainty dress Lyra wore.

With a disgusted face, she leveled her eyes and took a seat on the couch next to Lestrange eagerly snatching a bottle from his hand. Causing Riddle to aggressively push Frey off of him and placing himself onto the couch across from them.

The aggressive music was echoing bitterly into her dull brain as the lights flashing around were inadvertently causing her to lose herself in the setting.

Slowly by slowly the group along with a few other students all sat down in a circle by the fireplace ready to engage in a game of truth or dare.

"Lyra since this is your first game, the rules are simple. Truth or dare if you choose to not accept a dare or answer a truth you have to take off an article of clothing." Rosier explained to her. She merely nodded her head with her eager hand wrapped around a bottle.

" I'll go first." Mulciber volunteered, "Lyra truth or dare?"

She sighed knowing he would, of course, select her, "Truth."

He groaned at her response, "That's no fun. Okay, have you ever kissed someone of the same sex?"

She thought about the time when she played a similar game in the common rooms once, where Blaise had dared Pansy to kiss her, without much thought she positively stated, "Ya I have."

A harsh sound of ooh's washed over the group as the boys snickered to themselves with the thought of her kissing another woman. "Alright get your head out of the gutters." she laughed. "So I suppose it's my turn, alright Gwen truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"What's the weirdest place you and Rosier have shagged before?"

Rosier wide-eyed looked at Lyra then at Gwen who began laughing hysterically at the question. Gwen took a glance at Rosier and began to humbly apologize, "We did it once in the transfiguration classroom."

"I came back from scrubbing that classroom and now I feel the need to shower." Lyra began laughing.

A few more rounds of dares and truths went on and off, no one really picked her or Riddle for any reason.

Riddle cut in leaning his elbows onto his knees, "Lenkrov truth or dare?"

Without hesitation, she answered bluntly, "Dare."

"I dare you to kiss Lestrange," he smirked at his response.

Her face dropped as she turned to inevitably face Lestrange who looked equally as scared as her, "Now why would I kiss Lestrange?" she scoffed.

"It's an innocent little game, right? What's the problem with one meaningless kiss?" Riddle took a hit of his glass, his face pleased in amusement. He was certain that Lyra would absolutely choose to skip the dare.

She glanced back at Lestrange who maintained his attention relentlessly focused on Riddle. "We don't have to do anything that makes you uncomfortable."

He looked at the sincerity she demonstrated in her sentence, how she genuinely didn't want to make him uncomfortable. Instead, he took one final look at Riddle and bound his arm around the back of her shoulder, and pushed Lyra in for a kiss.

She placed her hand onto his exposed chest to balance herself then slowly moved her hand onto his jaw deepening the kiss.

He tasted like fire whiskey and cigars; they didn't care about the people around them. Pulling away he looked at her, "One meaningless kiss right?"

"One meaningless kiss," she repeated back to him with her hand still resting on his jaw and his hand resting on her back.

Silence had spread around them as they both glared at Riddle who seemed surprised and hostile at their actions. "My turn right? Riddle truth or dare?"

He didn't speak at first and scoffed, "Truth."

"Are you jealous I'm more superior at magic than you," she eagerly questioned with confidence.

At that moment she hadn't seen Riddle look as angry as he did now, not even on her initial day when he choked her at the astronomy tower. Everyone around them carefully looked at him waiting for his response.

"What establishes you think you're better at magic than me." he viciously spat out, grinding his teeth.

"A good deal in fact," she smirked back at him.

"How dare you ask such a questi-"

"Shut up Frey!" they both yelled at her making her melt into the couch from evident embarrassment.

"I am not jealous." he slithered out.

Everyone stood up trying to cut the tension, "Alright everybody let's go dance." some random Ravenclaw yelled out.

Lyra stood up with Lestrange's protecting arm still resting onto her back, "Riddle may I speak to you." she walked over to him securing his arm and pulling him into the dormitory hallway. "What the fuck was that? Kiss Lestrange? Have you gone mental!"

"I assumed it wouldn't be a big deal considering you two have on multiple occasions." he took a step towards her with Lyra stating her ground.

"We have never kiss-"

He slammed his hand onto the wall behind her entrapping her in that position. "Don't lie to me, the tragic memory of you two on each other has been burned into my mind. Once in this exact hall and the second with you on top of him like a whore."

"A whore? You mean like how Frey throws herself onto you in front of everyone? Why does it fucking matter to you who I kiss." then she instantly realized what he had remarked, "You looked into his mind didn't you?" he kept his posture.

"DIDN'T YOU RIDDLE?" she tried to ram him off.

"So what if I did, it was all that was running through his mind today. The way he ripped opened your blouse, the way you pressed against each other." he seethed. "Conveying that disgusting image wired into my brain."

"And I'll have the disgusting image of you and she etched into my mind as well."

"I wonder who you'll spread your legs for next, Mulciber Nott or Avery. Or maybe all three of them can take turns wit-"

She instantly pushed him away forcefully and connected her palm onto his angel-like face.

Hard, with the sound of the slap echoing throughout the halls. Her hand stinging with a distinct red mark appearing on his face.

She gasps at her actions placing her hand over her mouth, with him turning to look at her with the deepest gaze she had until now seen on him.

Rage and mild shock appeared on both their faces.

"Go ahead, Riddle." she placed her face directly in front of his, "Hurt me, choke me do whatever the fuck you desperately want to get your revenge" his fingers found place once again onto her throat slamming it against the cobble wall.

Vanilla, smoke, old books, and mahogany teakwood.

"You don't get to call me a whore then act shocked or angry when I strike back."

His frozen hands stayed there still, not squeezing or applying pressure but just rested there as he looked at her up and down. She forced him off once again and stormed into her room.

"Oh my god!" she yelled as Lyra observed Mulciber on top of a Hufflepuff forcefully kissing him on her bed. She fastened her eyes and turned away, "God Mulciber I told you you can use my room but not to bloody shag someone."

"Lyra!" he frantically yelled trying to put his uniform back on. She turned back her eager eyes still closed with her hands, "Please tell me you're dressed."

"Lyra this is um... this is." Mulciber stuttered.

Uncovering her eyes, she recognized the boy who wouldn't dare look at her, "Alexander? The Hufflepuff seeker?"

In a hushed tone, he spoke up, "Ya that's me."

"Pleasure to meet you, may I know why you're shagging in my room and on my bed of all places?" The two boys looked at each other worryingly as Alexander got dressed and quickly left the room leaving Mulciber and Lyra alone.

They blinked at one another in shock, "Lyra I..."

"Don't owe me an explanation." she smiled at him.

"You're not? You're not disgusted with me?" he sat down on the edge of her bed with his hands buried into his face.

"Disgusted?" She walked towards him and sat down next to him placing a comforting hand onto his back, "Alastor why on earth would I be disgusted?"

He began to silently sob, "You can't tell anyone, please Lyra you don't know what my parents would do, what his parents would do please I'm begging you."

She placed her hands on his face and gently pulled him into a hug, stroking his hair, "I would never, never tell anyone." she pulled him away greeting his face as he sobbed, "Listen to me Alastor, I love you deeply and would never betray you like that. It doesn't matter who you love or want to be with, do you understand?"

"I love you too, it's just have been trying so hard to hide it, we both have."

"You must've felt so alone. I'm so sorry." he pulled her once more into a hug happily knowing that one person who had found out about his secret didn't shame him for it.

They laid on the bed next to each other staring up at the ceiling.

"Do you love him?" she asked.

"I don't know. It's still pretty new, and we're getting used to one another."

She turned her body to her side observing him as he did the same. "Since I found out your secret, would it make you better if I told you one as well?"

"You don't have to. But yes please do." he smiled at her.

She reached for his face, "Push me aside anytime you want the memories to stop." confused but nodded his head.

Then she flashed the memory of her and Lestrange kissing the first time, then another of them at the locker room. She pulled away as he laid there in horror then looked at her gasping.

"SO THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED IN THE LOCKER ROOM?" he yelled.

She sighed and covered her face with a pillow, "Ughh yes and it would've finished if you and Nott didn't walk in like idiots."

"Oh ya both of you would've finished from the looks of it." he laughed.

She threw the pillow at him still hilariously laughing, "Stop it!"

He took the pillow and placed it under his head, "Do you like him?"

"Merlin no." she sat up leaning against the headboard, "I just liked kissing him but overall I do not see us together."

"Funny. I always thought you and Riddle would get to it first."

"Riddle? Why on earth would I ever kiss him?" she said offendedly.

"Please Lyra I can sense the sexual tension between the two of you from a mile away. Even after you and Lestrange shoved each other's tongues down your throats. There's something between you."

"I can assure you there isn't, all he does is make my blood boil." Lyra reached for her drawer pulling out another bottle she had stashed earlier handing it towards Mulciber.

Sitting comfortably around each other they began to drink and begin talking all about her kiss between Lestrange and how Alexander and he first began their secret relationship until passing out on her bed.

In the morning the two laid in bed surrounded by empty bottles and packs of cigarettes spread between them. Her arm dangling off the bed with her sore head buried under her pillow with Mulciber's leg spread across her back loudly snoring.

Lyra woke to the pounding sound of her battered door causing a throbbing headache to forcibly strike her. All she did was blatantly ignore it and submerged herself wrapped around her blanket. But they wouldn’t go away, angrily she wobbled towards her door opening it with armed force, “WHAT” she yelled furiously.

Lestrange and Nott stood in front of her mouths gaping open as they saw Mulciber laying on her bed. Looking back and forth between her and him on the bed. “Please can you idiots not see we’re both fully clothed and surrounded by empty bottles.”

“Sober him up we’re all heading towards breakfast,” Lestrange spoke.

She glanced back at Mulciber on the bed, then looked at her messy appearance in the mirror. “I don’t think either one of us is getting to breakfast. Goodbye.” and shut the door in their faces before crawling back into her soft bed falling asleep.


	22. Chapter 22

"Have you guys seen Lyra or Mulciber? They've disappeared almost the whole day?" Gwen spoke out around the group having dinner at the great hall.

Lestrange and Nott took one look at each other while adding food to their plates, "Mulciber passed out in our room, on his own bed, cause where else would he be sleeping." Nott laughed nervously.

"Lenkrov as well went to grab her for breakfast, and she slammed the door in my face." Lestrange joined into the conversation.

"Since we're talking about Lyra." Malfoy spoke out, "What was that little stunt you two pulled last night?"

"What stunt?" Questioned Lestrange knowing he was talking about the kiss.

" Oh, I don't know, maybe the way you both kissed, wrapped in each other's arms," Rosier said in a lovey-dovey tone.

"It was a dare that's all. Anyway's Nott care to assist me in taking Lenkrov and Mulciber dinner."

"Can I come?" asked Avery.

"NO." they both yelled out before seizing a plate of food and leaving the great hall towards the common room.

Reaching Lyra's door they both sighed, "That was a close one." Nott exclaimed.

"What was a close one?"

They instantly turned, "MERLIN RIDDLE." Nott shouted, "Fuck mate you scared me."

"What was a close one?" he repeated himself once more.

"Ummmm Lestrange?" Questioned Nott.

"Lenkrov...Lenkrov..." he had to think of something.

The boys were scared to valiantly attempt to try to lie to Riddle, not knowing what he would do if he discovered Lyra and Mulciber spent the rest of the night and the entire day spaced up in her bed. Nott lightly knocked on the door sincerely hoping it was faint enough for Lyra to not hear and open.

Until Riddle muttered a mild spell unlocking the door and barged himself in. He stood still as he watched Lyra on the visible edge of the bed, her head buried onto the sheets and Mulciber to her right completely disappearing into the blanket they shared.

Slamming the door shut with him, Lestrange, and Nott standing in her room, she got startled at the sound and rolled off the bed.

She groaned loudly as Riddle stood over her, Lyra carefully opened her sore eyes, "Oh god am I having a nightmare." she croaked as she concealed her face with one hand and held out the other. He watched as she struggled to stand up for several minutes and got annoyed. He gripped her hand pulling her upright in front of him, she couldn't maintain her balance and supported her head onto his chest. "Don't push me off just give me a sec."

Raspberry lemon, smoke, lavender, and cherries.

They stood like that until Lyra could retain her balance and glanced up at him, "What happened to your face?" she reached out to see a small bruised presenting itself but he knocked her onto the bed before she could stroke him.

"Seems like you two had an entertaining night?"

"If by entertaining you mean gossiping and drinking excessively the night away then yes." Lyra rubbed her rosy face still tired.

"Well we bought you two food, eat up, Lestrange and I have practice goodbye now." they carefully set down the plate of food down next to her and scurried away.

Riddle took a seat in the chair across from her bed, while Lyra instantly began to dig into the food, she was starving.

"What?" she mumbled with her mouth full.

"Mhmm muffins." groaned Mulciber in his eternal sleep.

"Can you not speak with your mouth full."

"Sorry Mum," she said sarcastically. "But why do you keep staring at me like that?"

"Enjoy your time with Mulciber, how was it compared to Lestrange?" he irked her.

"Considering the painstaking headache I have combined with my hunger I'll choose to conveniently ignore that snarky comment. Since it seems to bother you so much you failed to notice we're both clothed. He's nothing but a dear friend to me I would never jeopardize that" then it hit her, the fond memory of her slapping him in the hallway, him calling her a whore.

"I should've hit you harder," Lyra said as she shoved a bread roll into her grinning mouth.

"I'll graciously allow it to slide just this once, don't push your luck."

She set her plate aside and stood up to walk towards him, settling herself between his knees, and placed her arms on the side of the chair and leaned in towards him, "Or else what?" she asked innocently. "You'll call me a whore again."

He gathered a deep breath to himself trying to drown out the intoxicating smell of lavender, barely able to be so close to her. Riddle placed his caressing hand onto her calf and slowly slid it up while looking up at her.

The unique touch of his hand felt familiar to her, it didn't feel that way when Lestrange touched her. Her visible face stayed still not allowing him to know how much his touch was severely affecting her. He stopped just about reaching her knee where the dress cut off.

“Are you sure you want to find out?” he asked.

"Cookies," Mulciber said joyously in his drunken sleep.

She cleared her throat and stepped back, "I should probably help him clean up and so." He nodded and directly vacated her room proceeding his way to his own.

"Mulciber, Mulciber wake the hell up." she tried to haul him out of bed, but there was no point he was far too bulky for her. "Oh Alexander lovely for you to stop by." 

Mulciber jumped up and began to fix his appearance all without noticing that Alexander wasn't actually there, "You're evil Lyra."

"It got you up didn't it? Now first take a shower you smell like shit then you can eat dinner Lestrange, Riddle and Nott bought earlier." she shoved him into her bathroom as he locked the door and turned on the shower.

She took a moment to change out of the dress and into a comforting knitted black sweater and loose green trousers feeling absolutely comfortable and began to clean up the mess the two drunks had created last night.

After bringing her room back to life Mulciber exited her shower in nothing but a towel wrapped around him. 

"Here I conjured some clothes but I don't know if it'll fit you." she held it up to him eyeing it to see if she got the measurements right. 

"They'll fit perfectly love." she turned her back allowing him to get dressed and he propped down onto her bed eating dinner. "Did you say, Lestrange, Riddle, and Nott bought dinner?"

"I think it was just Lestrange and Nott, but you know Riddle having to butt into everything, barged into the room causing me to fall off the bed."

"I would've paid to see that."

"Eat your drumstick Alastor." 

Riddle sat on his bed remembering the details of last night, the way Lestrange kissed her, how the two didn't seem to mind those around them. The memory of Lyra slapping him as she ran away angry towards her room. 

Why did the image of her kissing Lestrange and sleeping next to Mulciber bother him so much, why did he allow himself to reach the point of insulting her about it?

"She's planning something." he thought to himself, "She must be. That's why I'm observant of her."

Monday had arrived quite rapidly the day she had been dreading. Professor Dumbledore's transfiguration class involved a boggart, which was the last thing she desired to confront, unknowing who or what would pop out in front of her.

"Alright class can anyone describe to me what a Boggwart is?" Dumbledore asked.

"A Boggart is a shape-shifting creature that will assume the form of whatever most frightens the person who encounters it." Riddle had answered.

"Correct Mr. Riddle. Now when faced with a Boggart all one must do is point a wand at it and shout 'Riddikulus'. But first, you must imagine the form of your fear into something comedic. For example, if you fear spiders imagine it with a bonnet on."

The class nodded at his statement.

"Now Miss Lenkrov would you serve us the honors?"

"Sorry Professor, is there any way I could skip being a part of the lesson today?" she beggingly asked hoping he would grasp how dangerous it could be for someone like her to face a Boggart in this time period.

"Unfortunately no one gets a free pass. Now come along."

She looked at Riddle in annoyance who seemed to enjoy Lyra being put in the spotlight, curious though to what her Boggart might be.

"Wand up and 1...2...3..." Dumbledore unlatched the wardrobe that was containing the Boggart, it flew out analyzing her deepest fears and it began to transform.

**_TW- if you are uncomfortable with child abuse or subtle mentions of it please skip._ **

He stood there as she exactly remembers him, the wooden cross hanging across his clerical collar neatly in place around his soiled dress shirt. He even smelled like him, of sacred fire and fusty clogging her nose.

"Lyra Lyra what happened to the golden obedient little girl? You're quite the woman now." he tsked gripping the cross that laced around his neck gazing upon her with lust-filled in his eyes. Just the mere sight of him caused her to freeze and his voice, god his voice eternally would remain in her mind.

"You require help Lyra; we're doing this to cleanse your innocent soul from the devil. You want the pain to stop, don't you?" he angrily threw a thick bible past her head, slamming into the ground. "DON'T YOU!"

She tucked her head holding it while dodging the familiar bible, one of the countless verses she had to hear as she was 'cleansed' shaking with her breath caught into her throat.

She couldn’t move.

She couldn’t speak just like when she was a child.

"You remember our little game don't you?" he seethed.

"No." she shakingly whispered to herself.

The priest began to unbuckle his belt, "Remember the rules docile and faithful."

"NO!" she screamed as she turned, burying her head into Mulcibers chest, He instantly wrapped his arms around her squeezing her in.

"Riddikulus." Dumbledore yelled, pointing his wand at the Boggart, "Mr. Mulciber, would you please escort Miss Lenkrov out." he suggested.

Mulciber hastily transported her out of the classroom, his one arm bound around Lyra as her eyes were squeezed shut. He took her to the only place they could be isolated, the Astronomy Tower.

"Love it's alright he's not real." he held her, gently stroking her hair as she did with him, as she fell to the ground sobbing uncontrollably shaking in his presence.

"Shh. Shh. I'm here Lyra."

"I couldn’t... I couldn’t fight..." she barely managed to get her words out as her throat felt like it was on fire.

He did nothing but comfort her, wondering the story behind the priest, though a horrid image had popped into his imaginative mind already. On the cold stone floor, they sat there in each other's arms until she had managed to stop crying hysterically.

She crawled to the wall clinging her back against it hugging her knees as they sat in silence.

"I was a child when it started. The orphanage thought my magic was the result of the devil." she broke.

"You don't have to talk about it." he rested his hand on her knee, assuring her he doesn’t request an explanation.

"It's alright. Every month for a year they held exorcisms for me," she huffed, "little did the nuns know what he was actually performing. Or maybe they did and didn't care. Every time the cruel month rolled around I would beg them to please stop the exorcisms, but they didn’t care. After a while, I was able to numb my mind, stopped resisting it"

Silence.

"I killed him."

Silence.

"He deserved it," he remarked.

Riddle had followed them standing behind the corridor hearing the tragic story behind her deepest fear with the words of her last remark repeating to himself.

_ "I killed him." _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not really my favorite chapter it felt a little rushed, but I’ve been more busy trying to work on the major plots of the book that will be coming up soon along with working with someone to create a cover and a few specific scene arts.


	23. Chapter 23

Word had already spread around the castle of the unfortunate events that transpired in transfiguration.

She locked herself in her room with Mulciber who carefully kept her comforted making sure Lyra was okay by her side.

Lyra had crawled into a ball sitting comfortably beside him with her head buried into his ribs while Mulciber wrapped a protecting arm around her on her bed. She had multiple people knock on her door but Mulciber with difficulty kept them all out explaining right now wasn't the proper moment to speak to her.

"I'm hungry." she muffled.

"Do you want me to grab something from the great hall?" he suggested.

"No, I want to eat but I feel too nauseous. Plus it's already ten pm. Maybe a walk would clear my head."

"It's risky to walk out of the castle alone." worryingly stated.

Lyra stood up promptly throwing an oversized knitted sweater over her and silently muttered a warming charm, "I'll be okay I just want to clear my head a little."

"I can come with you." He stood up nearing her door.

"It's fine, thank you." Lyra gave a tight hug and they both exit her room going in opposite directions.

Mulciber flung open his door to find Rosier, Lestrange, Malfoy, and Riddle carefully looking towards him.

"How is she?" Lestrange politely asked.

"She's alright, went for a walk to clear her head." he propped down onto the bed next to Rosier, "What's with the intervention?"

Riddle stood up turning the glittering ring placed onto his eager finger, "It's been decided. Over Christmas break I'll produce the second Horcrux." he said sternly.

"The second? Isn't it too soon after Myrtle's death?" Malfoy asked.

"I won't be managing a student this time, No, I have someone quite perfect in mind." he scarcely thought about his muggle father.

"Is it Lyra?" Mulciber asked, causing the frightened boys to glance towards him and Riddle waiting for a response.

"She won't be much use would she if I killed her. She provides another purpose I require."

"You're however going to ask her to join?" Lestrange interrupted.

"What's wrong Lestrange? Afraid he'll kill your girlfriend before you have the chance to shag her?" snickered Malfoy.

"Watch it Malfoy." he gritted through his teeth.

"Or has she moved on to Mulciber?" Malfoy jerked his head towards Mulciber's direction. "Heard you two had quite the private party after the win."

Mucliber's eye's turned black, and he dug his hands furiously into the sheets, "Unlike Lestrange, I make good use of my threats. Shut it."

"We can discuss your love triangle later. That's not what we're here for." Rosier cut the tension.

"I don't trust her yet. She'd hiding something I know she is. Mulciber I want you to watch her closely if she does or say anything suspicious report it back to me." Riddle ordered. " Avery and Nott are to not know anything of today's meeting." 

Lyra had wisely decided to take a walk by the black lake, sitting down by the grand opening of the water right by the forbidden forest. She laid down onto the grass trying to cleanse her mind of the image she was forced to see of the priest.

She eagerly watched as the thestrals flew above her, fondly remembering on her first day she was capable of perceiving them but no one else around her noticed.

Silence, she closed her eyes, for once she enjoyed the breathless silence with nothing but the gentle wind and lake swaying rhythmically in her ears. The feeling of the grass brushing against her exposed skin. It felt peaceful until there was a deepening shadow hovering over her head.

Uncovering her eyes, she watched Riddle standing over her head, "Why are you laying on the grass?"

She groaned, "Riddle I'm trying to have a peaceful night to myself, respectfully your divine presence is ruining it."

All he did was sit next to her, his knees propped up staring up at the sky carefully observing the leading pack of thestrals roaming around. She eyed him to mark his head following them and sat up crossing her legs, "You see them too?"

He merely hummed and nodded his head, "Who's death." he asked.

She huffed lightly, "As if you didn't overhear my private conversation with Alastor after transfigurations."

He narrowed his eyes and instantly turned to her, while she was gazing longingly onto the radiant moonlight dimmed lake. "You knew I was there."

"After the conversation ended, I saw your hand between the entrance cracks. Didn't know you were so keen to check up on me."

"Dumbledore merely asked me to give you your bag, which you intentionally left," he reasonably assured her.

"If that's what you desire to stick to." she smiled knowingly.

He rolled his eyes and looked out to the shimmering lake along with her. "Have you killed anyone after him?"

The truth realistically was Lyra had; many after her first kill. The order was against using dark magic to defend themselves but after a death that could've been avoided with a killing curse, she no longer cared what the order thought of her actions. In a battle for their lives, she prevented more members' and muggle deaths using the killing curse compared to anyone who merely used counterspells.

_ "We don't use dark magic Lyra, that's completely against what we're aggressively fighting for! Especially the killing curse!" Harry yelled furiously. _

_ "You may not utilize it, but I will. I have done nothing but make sure each and every one of you is protected! I am the one who has to patch you all up after a new fucking curse is thrown at us. But do I receive any thanks? No, I fucking don't. All I do is receive a lecture from you as if you're my mother." Lyra shouted in absolute anger. _

_ "Dark magic changes a person, it messes with your head, you don't grasp the consequences. We have to stick together." Harry huffed. _

_ She started laughing like a crazed person, "I don't grasp the consequences? So when I absorb and heal dark magic from you or Ron or Hermione or anyone else it's completely fine, right? Cause who cares about a mere evil Slytherin. Stick together? Do you mean like the time you abandoned me for dead in that forest months ago with an unknown curse for hours while I was in agony having to extract it? What about sticking together then huh chosen one?" _

_ "Lyr-" Ron cut in. _

_ "Enough! I have everything to abundantly prove I'm on your side," she turned her head towards Harry, "Don't forget you had to beg the sorting hat to put you into Gryffindor cause you were too pussy to be a Slytherin. I sincerely hope you promptly go to sleep knowing likely hundreds of preventable deaths could've been avoided if you fought fire with fire." _

_ "That is not who we are Lyra," Ron spoke out, "We're better than them." _

_ "Who gives a shit Ron, we're weak. We're visibly losing, and none of you want to witness that. It's funny how you're siding with him but didn't complain when I killed Greyback to save Fred." she sighed knowing no matter what she typically does they would never listen to her. "Neville and I are overworked to brewing new potions so none of you die. I don't care about my soul; I don't care if dark magic is coursing through my veins because I am willing to face the consequences if it means we win." _

"Yes, but no follow-up question" Lyra stated after recalling the conversation she repeatedly had to deal with when she killed a death eater. "Have you?"

"Yes," he said in a grave tone.

"It's sad, isn't it. When someone else can see these beautiful creatures it's because they had to witness the imminent death of someone."

"How'd you kill him. The priest," he properly asked.

"You must think I'm pretty pathetic for my deepest fear to be a muggle. I don't remember, to be honest, I merely wanted it to desperately stop. I wanted him to suffer, and he traditionally did. He died a slow death right over me." the memory of the specific details were extremely vague in her mind, but she clearly knew it was because of her.

"I don't think you're pathetic. Quite the opposite, I believe you're strong and a survivor. Ultimately, you made him pay with his life. I would've naturally done the same."

Lyra turned to encounter his eyes which have been until now onto her, surprised with the sentence he let out. "Is that a sincere compliment Riddle." she slyly grinned at him.

He rolled his eyes, "Don't get used to it Lenkrov." he smiled lightly.

She gently nudged him, "What about you, what's your deepest fear? And don't you dare skip, you know mine's it's scarcely fair"

He naturally hesitated for a few considered seconds looking at her eager eyes waiting for a direct answer, "Death." he breathes.

"Death?" she repeated back.

"The fundamental idea of dying doesn't satisfy me. Aren't you terrified to die?"

Lyra scoffed, "Riddle for most of my childhood all I desired was to die. Besides," she subtly shifted her body towards him rubbing onto her upper arms, "For the past few year's all I've done was greet death with open arms merely waiting for someone to kill me."

"But why? With your magic, you could typically prevent it?" he stayed still.

She shrugged her shoulders, "Why would I want to live a long life and watch everyone I know die around me? It sounds terribly lonesome to live miserably like that. "

He hadn't thought about it like that. How he would live an eternal life while others around him would wither away from old age. It was a new perspective to view it from, but he had no one he cared about to watch die while he moved on. 

He was alone. 

Riddle looked out while Lyra was scrupulously observing every inch of him, from the perfectly curled raven hair to the scarred fingers.

"I want to see it," she voluntarily spoke.

He jerked his head to her, "See what?" he furrowed his brows.

"The scar I left you with. I showed you mine, now show me yours."

He closed his eyes and sighed at the ridiculous request, "No."

"Yes."

"Lenkrov you can't inevitably have what you demand." he shook his head.

"Yes I can, I want to see it." she crossed her arms huffing.

He gave into it, into her, and began to unbutton his shirt, plucking the sleeve off.

Lyra stared wonderingly at the weathered scar similar to her own and reached for it lightly tracing it with her fingertips. Carefully observing every pink deep line presenting itself as a movement of lightning. He watched as she sincerely and regrettably analyzed the visible mark she left him with.

Her eager eyes and touch wandered across to his chest where a set of cigarette burns were scattered across from it and worryingly looked up at him wondering where they’re from. "The orphanage they were frightened of me as well." he breathed in lightly pondering why he permitted that out.

He wondered why he allowed her to know many things about him.

"Orphanage? You...you're an orphan?" she spoke so gently, he had never seen her like this.

"Seem's we possess many things in common." And then it hit her,

_ "Your parents should've plunged you off at the orphanage right after you were popped out. They apparently didn't love you enough as a child seeing as how you've turned out to be an absolute fucking wanker" _

Awash of regret took over her worried expression and a small gasp was released, "I'm sorry, for what I said to you on the first day."

"I don't need pity." he tried to move away from her, but Lyra placed her hand onto his jaw and redirected his face towards her. "It's not pity. That was me owning up to my mistake."

It never ceases to amaze him how comforting and warm her touch was when they were alone. He placed his hand on top of her breathing into it. They were close, so close. "I want to see the rest of yours."

Lyra pulled her hand away and furrowed her brows, "You are not going to see me naked."

"I don't desire to have that image in my head." he leaned back.

She thought about it for a few seconds and for some unknown reason she agreed to it. Pulling off her sweater and shirt, she sat there as he watched her. His eye's never wander towards her chest.

He traced the one that ran along with her shoulder, then the one above her hip which he had seen the continuation in her nightgown.

Her breath briefly paused at his cold familiar touch, wondering why she's allowing herself to be this vulnerable towards him. She turned around to display the rest, when he touched the ones on her back, it sent goosebumps throughout her body.

"All from the war?" he asked.

She faced him once again, "Most of them."

Without knowing Lyra had let her enemy view her in a most vulnerable state.

Without knowing Riddle let his future enemy view the glimpse of darkness he had.

They sat half undressed, studying each other, it became too much for her to be near him like this and she naturally turned to stand up. But Riddle obtained a hold of her elbow luring her into him. She practically lost balance and grabbed onto his thigh causing a hiss to be let out from him.

Their shapely noses almost touching, breathing into each other's sensitive mouths, she looked down on his perfectly built lips, her mind wandering.

"So many secrets," he whispered tenderly to her.

She moved her sensitive lips near his ear, "Secret's you'll never know."


	24. Chapter 24

They arrived at the decorative painting of Salazar Slytherin and Riddle glanced over to her, "What?"

"I don't like saying the password; you do it," she humbly begged.

"No."

She crossed her arms angrily looking at him, "I'm not saying it."

"You can be absolutely stupid sometimes, it's just a word," said Riddle, "Pureblood." and the painting slid open to the lasting hallway leading into the common room.

"It's not about the word itself. It's about the meaning behind it. Doesn't it bother you how something so horrid is our password? It gives us a bad rep." she walked past him.

"Why should it bother me, I gain no sympathy towards Mudbloods."

Lyra stopped instantly and lightly struck his arm, "Don't use that word near me."

"Why are you so kind towards them?"

"What have _muggle-borns_ done wrong to be called that? It's not their fault magic literally selected them. We're not continuing this conversation Riddle." she sternly said as they were standing in front of her door."Good night."

Lyra opened her to only find Riddle brush past her, inviting himself to her private room properly looking around familiarizing himself with the precise details.

"Hey I didn't allow you in, get out." she slammed the door.

"Your room is a mess."

"Much appreciated for stating a visible fact. Now I want to shower. Leave."

"No." he delicately picked up their potions homework and saw she hadn't started it. Holding it up, "This is due in two days."

She clasped it out of her hands shoving it into a drawer, "I'll do it later tonight. You can go now."

He leaned in to be at eye level with her and smiled, "Why? Are you withholding something?"

"Congratulations you figured it out. I'm hiding Weasley under my bed. Care to look?" she joked.

Riddle grabbed a book on top of her vanity and sat comfortably on the leather chair facing her bed. Lyra became annoyed, seeing he wasn't proceeding to leave any time soon, and proceeded to take off her socks and sweater, hurling it at his face.

He ripped it off and hurled it towards the ground glaring fiercely at her when he instantly noticed she was standing without a shirt and in her trousers, "What are you doing."

She opened her drawer, her back confronting him, pulling out her nightgown and a pair of clean knickers. "You're not leaving, and I'm going to shower." She slammed her bathroom door as he heard her turn on the water.

Rapidly he stood up taking advantage of this chance and pried apart her room, looking in every corner, every crack desperately trying to uncover something. He went through her nightstand to once more discover nothing. Opening her vanity drawers, he noticed the empty vials that were clumped together in a leather bag, recognizing them as sleeping drafts. But why did she possess so many?

Properly securing them away he pulled open another drawer to his surprise revealing colorful knickers and matching bras neatly placed beside each other and pulled out one of her short nightgowns eyeing at the unusual length.

"I don't think red's your complementary color." He dropped the nightgown at the startling sound of Lyra's sarcastic voice who was leaning against her bathroom door. Displaying nothing but a raven coarse nightgown stopping above her knees. Her hair still damp and trickling water, she walked over and picked up the cloth shoving it back into its place, and pulled out a perfect Slytherin green colored one, holding it up to him, "There this one will match you." she laughed.

He grabbed onto it and shoved it down slamming the drawer shut.

"I didn't hear you get out." He said as he sat back down putting his focused attention to the book.

She walked over to him, grabbed the book and shifted it down, "It's upside down."

He scoffed and didn't pay any mind to her.

Lyra pulled out her potions homework along with a quill and ink arranging her body on the bed. Without looking at him, "That chair is awfully uncomfortable, you can lean onto the bed you know."

She heard as he stood up his heavy footsteps sounding near as he sat next to her leaning precariously against the headboard.

"Find what you were looking for." she hummed.

He kept quiet.

They merely sat there, her leg dangling off the bed with her back faced to him scribbling onto the parchment and him peeking over the book to see her frustration.

Never did the two think one day they would be sitting in the same bed at this hour.

Lyra stood up placing away her homework and began to yawn, "As much fun as this has been, I'm tired. Get out."

His eyes however follow the pages, "And if I don't want to get out then what."

She crawled stealthily onto the bed, whacking the book out of his hands intentionally letting it fly to the polished floor, "I've had enough of your presence today. There's the door."

"Were you this rude towards Mulciber as well?" he sat up. "When he spent the night."

Lyra produced a bland smile, "Unlike yours, I enjoy his presence. Plus we're friends while you and I are not."

He became merely annoyed with the way she willingly spoke to him, so freely and it irked him. One look at her he swiftly restrained her down onto the bed, his body pressed between her legs as her nightgown exposed her thighs. "You know I still haven't corrected you for striking me the other night."

She leaned her head up and laughed, "You deserved it, plus didn't you say you'd allow it to pass just that once?"

He tentatively titled his head inhaling roughly, "I've subtly changed my mind." he tsked.

"So what will it be Mr. Riddle? The usual choke or maybe this time you'll spice it up?" she glanced down to his visible body cradled between her. Riddle gripped her grinning jaw and jerked her focused attention to his fierce eyes, "Look at me when I speak to you." he declared.

Her heartbeat began to increase rapidly but her breathing stayed still. He pushed her wrists deeper into the bed with one hand and supported the other placed onto her jaw.

The next moment she experienced her nose bleed and head become overwhelmed with considerable pain.

He was trying to get into her mind. Promptly Lyra was angry, binding her graceful legs around his ample waist with all her energy she flipped them finding herself on top of him. Her wand flying to her hand as she dug it into his shapely neck.

"Since I'm a decent human being compared to you Riddle I won't try to get inside that idiotic head of yours. This sharing circle has been fun but get.The.Fuck.Out."she dismounted him and flicked her wand opening her door.

He stood brushing himself off and glared at her one more time before rushing out of her room. Lyra yelled as she slammed her door.

Laying in bed she noticed the distinct smell of him was drenched onto her sheets and instantly became even angrier trying to rip them off.

Riddle kicked the door open sitting on the edge of his bed. Recalling the way, he was embraced between her thighs, how he could feel her heat, how she sat on him when they were flipped over. The way her fragrant hair flowed down brushing onto his familiar face, and her smell, god the way she smelled so heavenly. He rubbed his face with both his palms pulling at his hair for being so stupid.

Sitting in the great hall the next day, Lyra ate breakfast while Nott asked her a million times if she was okay after yesterday, "Nott I swear to god if you ask me one more time I'm going to choke you with this bagel."

"Okay fine." he stayed silent for a few seconds, "But positively are you okay?"

Lyra yelled as she tried to seize a hold of him to shove the bagel down his throat.

Their fight broke out when Riddle and Frey were spotted nearing their table.

They looked at each other, "My appetite has been ruined." she claimed.

"Really? Mine isn't." Nott next proceeded to eagerly snatch the bagel out of her hand and devoured it.

He and Frey sat in front of them and greeted everyone with a good morning obviously both ignoring Lyra. She paid no attention to their apparent rudeness and just paid attention to eating.

"Lyra!" someone called out.

She looked back to see it was Septimus motioning her towards his friend group while sitting at the Gryffindor table.

She felt relieved when she saw him call her out and grabbed her book bag to go towards him. "I'll see you guys later." and voluntarily left without them answering her back.

"Disgusting how she friended Gryffindors, and now she's going to sit with them." Frey huffed out.

Septimus stood up and hugged her for a few seconds then placed his hands onto her shoulders, "I heard about yesterday and I-"

She lowered her head, "Please don't ask me how I am, Nott already took care of that by asking a million times."

"Fine then I won't." he smiled at her.

She looked over to his friends, the corresponding ones who were downright rude towards her when Septimus tried to introduce them once. "See you're still not in better company."

"Look at who you surround yourself with then speak about us." one of them seethed.

Septimus laughed nervously and tried to pull her away as they glared knives at each other. When they left the great hall without thinking she said, "They're such dicks, I don't know how you're friends with them."

"They're my roommates and sometimes they can be pleasant. It's just you being a Slytherin already produces an inaccurate impression of you." he walked her off to her Defense against the Dark Arts class and made his way to his own.

She sat next to Mulciber, with Riddle and Lestrange in front of them.

"Today we will be learning about the three unforgivable curses. Does anyone recognize what they are?" Professor Rakepick asked.

"The Imperius, The Cruciatus, and The Killing curse," Riddle correctly answered.

"Correct Mr.Riddle 5 points to Slytherin." she smiled at him causing Lyra to fake hurl while Mulciber laughed. "And what does each one typically do?"

Before Riddle had the opportunity to speak out Lyra succeeded first, "The Imperius curse allows the user to maintain absolute control over another, bidding them to do anything. The Cruciatus is a torture curse that cause's immense pain, as if a thousand keen knives are being stabbed at you repeatedly but to use this curse you really have to genuinely enjoy emitting that type of pain onto someone, and the killing curse well you need to have the willpower and skill for it or else it won't work."

The professor stood impressed at her knowledge of the three curses, unaware Lyra had utilized all of them. "10 points for Slytherin correct Miss Lenkrov. You speak with the Cruciatus as if you have vicariously experienced it first hand."

"I have." she blurted out.

Riddle and Lestrange turned to look at Lyra with shock overcomed as Mulciber sat with his jaw dropped.

Lestrange equally recalled the exact pain she was talking about, inextricably relating to it.

"I beg your pardon Miss Lenkrov?" Rakepick asked.

"It's been used on me before Professor. That's why I speak with such experience about it. Though there are a million different ways, I can describe the pain as if your whole body was being split open as your bones feel like they're trying to rip out from your skin." she spoke about it so casually not realizing how everyone became genuinely shocked at her answer."Didn't mean to draw attention away from the lesson may we continue?"

"You've never informed me you've been under the cruciatus curse before?" Mulciber whispered into her ear.

"Should I have mentioned it before or after telling you I killed someone as a toddler by accident?" she whispered back.

Professor Rakepick discussed specific details about the first uses of the curses and how in 1717 they were deemed unforgivable. But she at present knew this and found herself bored.

"Today we'll be having a duel, would anyone like to eagerly volunteer?" The professor's question captured Lyra's concentrated attention as she and someone else instantly raised their hand.

"Lenkrov and Clearwater come to the front of the class then." She turned her head to see the Gryffindor boy that was friends with Septimus, he had a cheerful grin on his face thinking he had a chance to beat her.

They stood in front of each other wands up, "I'll try to not make you cry as hard." he sneered.

"I'll try not to make you bleed as much," she responded. They withdrew five necessary steps out before turning, his wand was eagerly up while her's was still by her side.

" _Expelliamus_!" he shouted, but all she did was take a step to her right, easily dodging the mild spell. " _Aqua Eructo!_ " he yelled with water shooting out from his wand.

"Are you intentionally trying to drown me?" she spit out the water that entered her mouth. " _Everte Statum._ " she muttered without the proper use of her wand recklessly causing him to fly back onto the plastered wall.

He stood cross and brushed his clothes, "That's cheating!" Clearwater shouted at the Professor who disregarded his comment.

" _Tarantallegra_ " she cast, making him dance around like a fool while everyone laughed hysterically at him, Lyra had to clutch her stomach from laughter.

But when he stopped, he didn't find it so funny regaining his key position he clearly shouted, " _Serpensortia_."A black viper had shot out of his wand slowly slithering its way towards her.

" _Confringo_." she aimed the glowing fire towards it traditionally knowing it wouldn't work. Lyra was backing away as the viper was getting closer and closer, then viewed Clearwater smirking at her in electoral defeat.

But she would never, never, allow someone like him to beat her.

Lyra carefully squeezed her knees together and bent low, the viper a few possible inches away hissing at her, and held her hand out as she began to speak Parselmouth to it.

The viper gently placed its noble head into the graceful palm of her hand, speaking to her. She narrowed her eyes towards Clearwater while it devoted its negative attention to him with a similar venomous viper slithering out of her robes when she stood.

She watched as he threw spells towards the two vipers worryingly panicking as Lyra smirked and continued to speak to them.

They were surrounded by his feet hissing and intentionally trying to strike him.

"Miss Lenkrov that's enough!" The professor yelled.

But Lyra didn't care; she produced no mind to it, "Make them stop!" he humbly begged her.

She rolled her eyes and spoke to them, quickly moving behind her; Clearwater grabbed her by her collar and pushed her towards him.

"You fucking bitch!" he yelled out.

" _Everte Statum_." she wisely said in her head, once again causing him to fly backward.

"Mr. Clearwater for that foul language and behavior you have displayed, one week of detention. Follow me to the headmaster's office. Miss Lenkrov get rid of the vipers, and class is dismissed."

Lyra rolled her eyes and she squats down petting the vipers with such affection, she waved her hand muttering " _Vipera Evanesca_." and they vanished instantly.

The students had already packed up and left when she stood, Lyra was now alone with the seven boys as they stood waiting for an explanation.

Fuck.


	25. Chapter 25

"SO PORTUGUESE WAS A LIE THEN HUH!" Yelled Nott waving his hands around her face.

"Portuguese was a lie." she corrected.

"Why, though? Why not just inform us you're a parselmouth?" Rosier naturally asked.

"Would you go around notifying people you're one?" she tilted her head arching her brows.

Silence.

"Ya, that's what I believed. And if you're curious I'm not a descendant of Salazar Slytherin, I've done the blood tree already." Lyra spoke with relief.

"Leave," Riddle spoke out.

She grabbed onto Mulciber's bag and widened her eyes, "Don't you dare leave." she whispered.

"Sorry." he gathered his bag away from her grip and ran out with the rest.

She stood there nervously tapping her foot, "Spit it out, Riddle."

He declared nothing but took steps toward her, Lyra gulped as she backed away, her waist being stopped by a desk.

Riddle slammed his hands to her sides, placed them onto the desk, and tentatively titled his head.

She became flushed, trying to avert his eyes.

"What other secrets will I uncover about you still? Being a victim of The Cruciatus and A parselmouth." he tsked.

His hot breath hit her face as she however wouldn't look at him, "Look at me." she gradually turned to look at him.

He placed his thumb onto her cracked lips parting them, "So many vicious lies coming out from these lips." his aura felt dark and suffocating, and his prolonged stare forcibly sent a nervous shiver down to her crooked spine.

"As if you're so honest with me Riddle. What's with this obsession you have with my past."

Obsession. That's what it was, from the moment he saw her to currently hovering around her.

It was an obsession he's never had before, a woman, someone who could relentlessly drive him mad with nothing more of a sentence or touch. Someone he required to know every slight thing about.

"I don't appreciate liars. In fact, I despise them."

She left out a sarcastic laugh, "Ironic the pot calling the kettle black." She tried to force him away, but he wouldn't move and she placed her gentle hand onto his chest."Please move."

He slammed his hands down causing her to jump a little. He lowered his head an inch away from her chest, "What else are you hiding?"

She turned her head away, "It's none of your business."

He frantically grabbed onto her exposed neck forcing her to overlook him, "It became my personal business the moment you associate yourself with my people."

"Miss Lenkrov, Mr. Riddle, why are you still here?" Professor Rakepicks harsh voice cracked through them.

Riddle stepped aside and a genuine smile took over his cold emotionless face, "Ah professor, Lenkrov was shaken up after the duel so I merely stayed to help her." he lied so comfortably.

"That's very kind of you Riddle, now both of you get to class," she instantly ordered.

Riddle snatched Lyra's book bag and gestured to her to follow him out; when they exited the classroom she rapidly pulled her bag back and tried to run.

He instantly pulled at her robes, "Oh no you don't." and laboriously dragged her towards the library.

"Why are we here?" she questioned anxiously.

"While you and Mulciber were having a little heart to heart after transfigurations, Slughorn assigned us, partners, to brew our very own potion. Don't think matters are merely dropped, we'll discuss your lies later." he sat down onto a table in the back of the library, directing his eyes for her to sit across him.

"I will not be forced to spend any time with you. I'll talk to Slughorn tomorrow." she pulled an uncomfortable seat.

"Don't bother trying, I tried to convince him for 10 minutes but apparently 'Our magic goes well with another' whatever that ridiculous statement means," he stated.

They sat bickering for an hour straight on what potion they should come up together, they disagreed on every idea each one bought up.

"THAT'S IT!" she properly packed up her book, "I'm leaving."

"Where are you going?" he justly demanded.

"I'm sorry my lord I didn't realize I have to announce to you every time I decide I want to be rid of you." she curtsied mocking him.

My Lord. The two mere words felt like velvet threading through his ears, especially coming from her; he relished it, he desperately craved for her to repeatedly address him like that.

She spotted Septimus on the edge of the corridor as she walked out with him following her, "Weasley! wait up!" and instantly ran towards him.

Riddle hated how she always surrounded herself with men everywhere she inevitably went. In an overcrowded classroom, in the common room, even her fucking bedroom.

What was it about Weasley and Mulciber that she allowed herself to be so carefree and enjoyable compared to him?

———-

The night swiftly approached, she found herself seated next to Nott talking, asking questions about her parselmouth, if all snakes indeed talk to her.

"Alright it's been a boring few days," Malfoy walked in with Medusa draped in his arm, "We're going to play 'take a drink'," he waved out his wand with a bottle appearing in everyone's hand.

"Lyra the rules are-" Nott spoke as she cut him off, "I know how to play already."

Riddle joined them taking a seat next to her with Frey glued to him on the other side, the first they've encountered each other since the library.

"Let's begin then," Avery cleared his throat trying to think of a question, "Take a drink if you've shagged someone you didn't like."

Her thoughts inevitably went to one person, Harry.

The two didn't like one another and constantly fought, but all the death, the profound emptiness suffocating them drew them to each other on multiple occasions. He was and still, today remained the solitary person she slept with. They used each other repeatedly, to let out all the considerable anger and built-up stress they resolutely faced. It started with the preventable death of Luna Lovegood; Harry was so angry with himself for risking her safety like that, and Lyra was angry they left her behind instead of taking her instead of Luna.

She took a sip of her drink and from the corner of her eye noticed Riddle did likewise.

"Take a drink if you've kissed anyone sitting here." her eyes went to Lestrange and the deeply buried memories of them kissing on multiple occasions, they both took a sip seeing each other.

"Take a sip if you've shagged anyone outside our house," Malfoy yelled.

This time Lyra didn't take a drink.

"Wait a minute Lenkrov," Gwen spoke out, "I thought you and ginger boy had a thing between you?"

"That's disgusting Gwen. Weasley and I are friends. Plus I haven't shagged anyone from or out of our house."

A gasp emitted from Gwen, "You haven't slept with anyone since coming to Hogwarts?"

Lyra chugged the bottle becoming uncomfortable with the cultural spotlight on her active sex life.

"Lyra, I know just the perfect Slytherin who's had an eager eye on you. Oh my god, you should let me set you up." Medusa squealed from joyous excitement.

"Who?" Riddle and Lyra chatted at the same time, making her look at him with dire confusion on her face.

"Actually I'm not really looking to date anyone right now so kindly I'll pass." she didn't turn away from him until Lyra finished her sentence.

They went on playing a few more rounds before it became too much for them all. Each one left little by little to retire to their rooms until it was merely Riddle and her left.

A little buzzed, Lyra leaned comfortably with her back against the arm of the couch pushing her feet up while he sat on the other end of the couch. She thought about the weird relationship she experienced with Riddle, how they can press each other's buttons but also allow one another to be completely vulnerable in ways they haven't with other people.

"You haven't slept with anyone here?"

She didn't speak at first, "Who would I sleep with here? Entertain me, and don't you dare say Lestrange or Mulciber."

He stayed silent gazing keenly into the fireplace, taking a gulp of his drink.

"Going to take a wild guess and say Frey was the person you slept with." she bit her tongue trying to surprise a slight laugh.

"Who I sleep with is none of your business."

"But who I sleep with is your business Riddle? God, you're such a hypocrite." He didn't like where this conversation was heading and decided to leave, but she wouldn't allow him to.

Lyra hastily grabbed his arm as Riddle stood and lugged him back onto the couch climbing on top of him. She tilted her head, "Not this time, I discovered a trick from you. You see," she properly placed her arms on both sides of his head as she squeezed her thighs to grip him in place "You tend to grab me or climb on to me whenever I want a conversation to end. Therefore I'll naturally do the same."

She expected him to force her off, to yell at her, or throw some threat towards her.

But he achieved quite the opposite. Riddle leaned himself even more back jerking his ample hips into hers and placed his eager hands above her knees just under her flowing skirt.

"So...what is it you want to know about my active sex life with Frey." he soothed.

Riddle could feel how warm Lyra was getting and the radiant heat he visibly felt between her nimble legs.

"Absolutely...nothing."

He wanted to pull away, desperately wanted too but he couldn't, he wouldn't.

Lyra felt like her actions were too much and wanted to dismount him so as she was about to set her leg back to stand, Riddle went under her skirt grabbing her hips, and slammed her down.

"I believe we were having a conversation Lenkrov." he looked upon her rosy cheeks and felt her irregular breathing. She looked so weak, so tamed.

He wanted more. To perceive her more like this.

Obedient.

She moistened her sensitive lips not perceiving what to do next, scarcely feeling his violent hands rested on top of her knickers, drenched. The way her skin and body reacted towards his hands sitting at ease in an unfamiliar place never before made it feel as if lightning bolts were transmitting themselves all throughout her body. She should absolutely not be doing this.

He examined the rosy face of her wondering, probably thinking of a million things to do to get away from him. But not yet, not just quite.

He dug into her hips making sure there was nowhere she could run and forced her hips forwards then back.

She physically didn't react but his hands precisely directed her, "Don't..." Lyra spoke forcibly in a breathy tone not allowing a piteous moan to escape her lips.

He didn't care at that moment what she was saying, he desperately desired one thing, one reaction anything out of her.

She drove him fucking mad.

But she wouldn't allow him to possess all the control, she placed her hands into his shoulders and began to dig into them. She carefully rolled her hips forwards pressing down to his visibly swollen self. Once more she jerked her hips forward arching her back, satisfying her ears to a surprised groan he tried desperately to hold it back.

"Admit it feels good, that I feel good," he demanded hoarsely as the pace began to be rhythmic both of his control and the unknowing movement of hers.

"Never..." she managed to whisper out in a breathy voice barely capable to contain her breathing.

"What the fuck am I doing," Lyra thought to herself and pushed herself off standing over him.

"Hey someone dropped this letter off to you," a random Slytherin approached Lyra handing over a piece of parchment.

She snatched it and ran towards her room locking it tight, unable to instantly comprehend what had just happened between the two.

She threw the letter aside and ripped her clothes off instantly changing into a nightgown with a cardigan caressing her. Twisting her messy hair reflecting on how it led to that, how she was riding him, and the way it looked like they were both enjoying it.

Riddle knocked onto Frey's door and grabbed her without a word, taking her to a classroom to ease out his considerable frustration. But Frey never complained, this was the unique time she felt dearly needed by him.

Lyra stood from her bed and opened the letter she had thrown onto her vanity.

_Meet me in the Gryffindor common room now, we have to talk._

_-Septimus_


	26. Chapter 26

_TW- This chapter contains sexual assault._

She caught a second-year student standing outside and kindly asked her to allow her in, showing the letter Septimus sent she was instantly let in.

"His room is the first one on the right!" the young Gryffindor spoke.

She went up the crooked stairs and knocked waiting for his response, but all that happened was the door flung itself open.

Lyra walked in to only observe Clearwater sitting on his bed with another one of his friends propped onto another. But no Weasley, she couldn't spot him. The door slammed shut, making her jump a little.

"Ah, Lenkrov looks like you made it," Clearwater spoke with such enthusiasm.

There was a sense of legitimate fear that washed over Lyra, she had to get out and fast, " I have to go Septimus is looking for me." But her path was intentionally blocked and they wouldn't allow her to voluntarily leave.

"Oh trust me he isn't, he's spending the night at the Ravenclaw dorms isn't he Adams ."

"I didn't think you'd actually believe he was the one that supposedly sent you to meet. You're not as clever as you make yourself to be it seems." Adam laughed.

It was a trick.

She didn't have her wand, she was buzzed, there was no one to help her. Funny isn't it, she had been tortured, hit with the darkest spells, and had no struck of fear in her. But at this precise moment, her standing alone with two Gryffindors made her step back.

"You see Adams I was traditionally taught that a woman should always know her proper place."

"Me as well Clearwater, but I was also taught a woman needs to be disciplined."

Lyra tried to make a run for it but there was no point, Clearwater had seized her and threw her onto his bed with ease climbing on top of her.

Adams gripped her arms back violently squeezing causing her to yell.

" _Silencio_." He threw his wand off to the side, "Wouldn't want anyone to hear you now would we." Clearwater grinned triumphantly, enjoying every second of it.

"GET THE FUCK OFF OF ME!" She tried resisting, tried so hard to combat them off, but the fear instilled in her was blocking her magic.

"How thoughtful of you to have worn your nightgown. It's almost as you knew and prepared for us." Adams had begun to laugh, the distinctive sound of the two's voice made her physically nauseous.

She wanted it to stop, desperately begging, frantically apologizing for her behavior towards them., "I'm begging you please, please stop." she screamed and she screamed as much as her raw throat could handle, the countless tears flowed becoming more and more by the second, mascara smudged all over her eyes. All it did was progress it even more.

Clearwater's hands disgustingly explored every possible inch of her body, ripping open the visible top of her nightgown he bit her breast, hard. She could feel the warmth of her blood running down. He dug his fingers into her thigh, slashing into them leaving crimson marks behind, she knew was about to happen and could not prepare for it.

"Please, Please stop." Her throat burning, she was fumbling her words. Not again, please not again she thought to herself.

He struck her repeatedly, she could taste the flowing blood tracked down along her lips "All you're doing is instantly turning me on Lenkrov."

He slid his hand up her thigh while kissing, biting her neck marking every visible part. The bulge in his pants being pressed, grinding against her. He wanted her to undoubtedly remember this every day when she looked in the mirror.

It couldn't be prevented. Not having anymore fight in her, Lyra stared at the ceiling choking down her sobs, idiotically thinking any second now someone will burst through those doors and help her. But no, she recalled how she was never crucial enough to be searched for. Her absence is always unnoticed.

She had no one to care about her.

" I wonder if she's a virgin, Are you a virgin Lenkrov?" he teased.

No one to save her.

"No way Clearwater, you see her around with those Slytherins all the time. My guess is Mulciber has had the pleasure."

Think about anything, dissociate yourself from this moment.

Violently he had ripped her knickers off, now the conscious realization had promptly hit her, this was it. He was going to rape her.

The smell of fire whiskey became more visible.

He unbuckled his jeweled belt and slid his trousers down.

Lyra instantly closed her eyes wanting it to finish quickly. She didn't want to show any reaction, to give them any satisfaction.

Naturally forgotten like she always was.

She felt something drip onto her wounded chest and opened her eyes to Clearwater screaming. Flowing blood running down from his eyes, he was choking he couldn't breathe as the veins in his neck turned black looking as if they were about to burst. Something happened to her, black smoke tingled with green specks were emitting off her body and with a fierce blast directly blew away Clearwater and Adams knocking them unconscious.

Without a second of thinking she instantly ran.

And she ran until she was convinced she was far away from the Gryffindor common room. She didn't know where to go. Where to be alone.

Her body felt as if it was on fire, she was wandering the castle late at night half-naked without underwear. Crying and uncontrollably shaking not knowing if the pain was from a combination of the unusual magic or of her assault.

"Miss Lenkrov?" the familiar voice had startled her as they were walking up to her. "Merlin dear Miss Lenkrov what happened to you?"

Dumbledore conjured a cloak and carefully wrapped it around her frail body. She couldn't tell him what happened, she couldn't tell anyone, it would cause too much attention to her.

She didn't speak but sobbed choking on her own words.

He held up his hand gesturing to her to take it, "Let's go to Nurse Podmore." Hesitant at first, she reached for it.

In silence, the two made their way to the infirmary, before seeing Podmore, Lyra turned to Dumbledore pulling herself together, "Don't tell the Headmaster. Please." she barely managed to voice out.

"You will be properly taken care of discreetly. Only Nurse Podmore and I will know of this."

"Good Merlin you poor thing what has happened to you?" Nurse Podmore tended to her side and carefully observed the horrid state she was present in.

"Podmore take care of her and let her stay as long as she sincerely wishes. This is to stay between only us." he instantly disappeared.

Nurse Podmore began to carefully clean her up, wiping away the innocent blood and tears. When she came in direct contact with the fresh marks forced onto her, Lyra winced. Podmore kept saying something to Lyra but she undoubtedly heard nothing, all that was going through her ears remained their laughter. The genuine amusement they had, causing her that pain.

She laid there staring at the ceiling not moving an inch ignoring the pain spread across her body.

The sound of Clearwater's belt unbuckling taunted her.

_It's your fault._

_Why did you roam the castle around that late?_

_Why did you go out in your nightgown?_

_It's your fault._

The whole night she didn't sleep and stayed still just numb. Not just physically but mentally as well. Her sore body ached with every turn or twist.

Lyra buried her head into the blanket, desperately trying to erase the memory of their touch.

In the morning Riddle made his way towards her dorms to grab her to finish their potion as they had agreed upon before, completely ready to ignore the events of last night. He knocked on her door and nothing, he knocked once more and again nothing. Impatiently he opened her door, to his surprise it was unlocked.

He observed the bed still messy and her uniform displayed across her chair, her bookbag still thrown in the corner. Riddle walked out to the common room, "Anyone see Lenkrov?" he asked towards the boys tiresomely sitting on the couches.

"Isn't she sleeping?" Mulciber yawned.

"I wouldn't be asking if she was asleep." Riddle agitatedly spoke.

"Probably hanging out with Weasley." Nott cut in.

Riddle didn't think much of it and they all headed to breakfast thinking she would join them later or just announce her presence in class.

Something felt off while they were eating, Lenkrov was many things, but she never flakes, if they planned something she was always on time. He brushed it off and rid his mind of her.

They sat in potions with Lyra still unattended, when Septimus walked in,

"Weasley, have you been with Lenkrov this morning ?"

"No Riddle, haven't seen her since I walked her to Dark Arts yesterday."

He wondered his mind trying to think of where she could possibly be.

"Alright, class today you and your partners are to turn in your parts of the work and continue with the final touches," Slughorn stated.

Riddle raised his hand, "Sorry Professor seems like my partner is missing."

"Riddle my boy may I have a word with you in the back of the classroom."

He followed Slughorn to the back corner, "What is it, Professor."

Slughorn glanced around before whispering in, "It seems Miss Lenkrov will not be attending classes for a while but she made sure to submit all her work, so don't worry my boy your grades will not be affected." he patted Riddles shoulder with a smile and resumed back to his desk.

He sat back down and immediately the boy's curiosity hit, "What did he say?" Malfoy asked.

"Lenkrov won't be attending classes for a while, but he didn't say why."

"Won't be attending classes for a while? Reckon she left the castle?" Lestrange gave out.

"I doubt that based on the unusual mess in her room. We'll discuss this when we're alone." He didn't like not knowing where she was.

Was she hurt?

Was she that uncomfortable with last night she decided to leave?

Riddle shook his head at the instant he thought of such an idiotic thing, why on earth would he care.

"What happened to you two?" Septimus asked observing the horrible state of Clearwater and Adams who had bruises displayed across their face and a cast wrapped around Clearwater's hand.

"Snuck out to the field last night and we fell off our brooms." Clearwater lied.

In the infirmary, Lyra laid to her side staring out into the void. Numb. Not wanting to move not wanting to do anything.

"My dear you have to eat." Podmore insisted while she held up a tray of porridge and pumpkin juice for her.

But she didn't speak, all she did was turn her back and pull up the covers to her head.

_You were drunk, why did you leave the dorms._

No matter how she thought it, the blame was placed on her. Not realizing that it wasn't her fault, that Lyra was not the cause of her assault.

It was their fault.


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to address that I will be changing the book title in a couple of weeks, once the cover of the book I commissioned is ready the title will be changed.
> 
> The final thing, I going to take a very small break from updating for a while, since I first published the book I've been posting 2-3 time's a day which has been very fun for me, but I wanna take some time to write out a few chapters and then release it since I've been suffering from a little bit of writer's block.

Three days later:

The same routine stuck over and over again. Lyra would lay in the infirmary bed lost in the decorated ceiling her mind replaying everything every second every touch her body still sore and ached with any movement.

Nurse Podmore multiple times throughout the day would bother her to eat. But no matter what she did she could never hold the prepared food down and would throw up as soon as she instantly swallowed anything.

She never left her bed, stayed hidden behind a casting charm, if anyone entered they simply would not sight her.

The pain reminded her of how powerless she was, to be so afraid revolted her,having this constant gut wretched feeling in the pit of her stomach everytime she glanced at a mirror analyzing her appearance.

Lyra used the killing curse many considerable times, not once batting an eye to it. Never getting queasy or vicariously experiencing the nauseous pit that would drag itself around one's chest. The way people described it seemed so horrid upon hearing the specific details. But this, now, to have that feeling as everyone described to her present, drove her mad.

_"Lyra you killed him, that was unacceptable especially using a killing curse! How can you live with yourself?" Hermione yelled furiously in sheer disbelief._

_"Dolohov was about to kill Neville, what was I supposed to do Hermione? I couldn't allow him, anyone but Neville to die." Lyra looked at Hermione who's pinched face appeared to be frightened, "I can live with myself completely fine. I don't need a lecture right now. Please just let it go for now."_

_Silence._

_"Do you feel any different?"_

_"Not really. I feel...I feel absolutely nothing. His death meant nothing to me. I can cast the killing curse ten or a hundred time's to a death eater and it wouldn't bother me for a second." she sat sliding down the wall recalling how easily she cast it, the bright green flash leaving her wand as it striked Dolohov's chest. His body instantly dropped._

_She felt no remorse and never would._

Lyra dearly missed him. As much as she positively hated Riddle she missed him. With his fundamental constant arguing, his glowing eyes, his familiar voice, she felt so stupid to long desperately for him.

He probably felt relieved not having her around for so long. Probably celebrating in rejoice.

The sole truth was, Riddle wasn't.

He sat uneasily in her room, three days in a row waiting for her to barge in and yell at him for cleaning her room, placing items in ways she probably would dislike. Slughorn wasn't much help; he didn't know where she was either, only that for a few days she wouldn't attend class based on what Dumbledore told him.

"Did she disappear because of what happened between us?" he clearly voiced out. "It merely meant nothing. Why would she take drastic measures?"

"Riddle." he turned to see Nott and Mulciber standing by the dingy door also desperately wanting to know what happened to her. "We found something." Mulciber pulled in a third-year Slytherin student from his robes, the same one that delivered her the letter that memorable night and threw him into the room. While Nott pulled in the very Gryffindor girl that helped her that night.

"Tell him," Nott defended, the first time his voice felt emotionless, none of them were okay with her ultimate disappearance.

It was just then when they instantly realized how much Lyra had positively impacted their private lives, and for her to completely drop off the face of the earth deeply struck them.

"A Gryffindor delivered me a letter notifying me to pass it over to Lyra." the student shook as he spoke.

Riddle shifted his clouded eyes towards the girl.

"She asked me to open the common room painting and showed me that Weasley had asked her to come to speak," she spoke in a frightened whisper, grabbing and fumbling with her robes.

"And then what?" Riddle asked in a frightful voice with an ominous hint of petty annoyance, he was so close to getting the answers he desperately wanted.

"I showed her which room belonged to his and she went in. I went to bed after that and haven't seen her since."

"The two of you leave not a word of this to anyone." Mulciber sternly ordered them.

The two boys sat onto her bed confronting Riddle, "It's obvious, right? We have to interrogate him." Nott suggested.

He didn't speak, Riddle was trying to critically analyze the story that laid out in front of him. "The idiot doesn't know anything he mentioned he hadn't seen since walking her to class."

"Do you think she's hurt?" Mulciber asked with an ominous hint of personal worry.

"Don't say stupid things like that." Nott huffed. "Riddle, what do we do?"

He didn't comprehend why he was putting himself through this, "Do what you two desire, I have prefect rounds."

Nott stood inoffensive in front of him not allowing him to leave, "So that's it? You're going to act like you don't care."

"I don't care, now move," Riddle said in a tense voice.

"If you didn't care then why have you holed up yourself in her room after classes then."

"Nott I scarcely suggest while I'm patient that you step aside."

The foolish boy stood frightened, knowing any anxious minute Riddle could mortally hurt him easily if he didn't move. But Nott was angry, angry that he was acting like he didn't mind what happened to her.

The others didn't detect Riddle's behavior, but he did, from the first day when Riddle found her bed empty Nott noticed that Riddle kept glancing towards the classroom door. Impatiently with a dull glimmer of shattered hope waiting for her to enter any moment. But nonetheless, he stepped aside with Riddle brushing past him.

Why should Riddle be worried or even cloud his mind with her whereabouts? She meant nothing to him.

Even with her gone, she was everywhere, the scones at breakfast reminded him of her, seeing the house-elves roam aimlessly around the castle, the astronomy tower, she was fucking everywhere but nowhere at the same time.

As much as he undoubtedly wanted to bury it down, there was a tingle of a leading voice inside him advising Riddle that there efficiently was something severely wrong. This whole situation wasn't because of the engaged two's lust-clouded night.

He was more annoyed that her frequent absence had caused more considerable trouble to him than her physically being there around him.

She was sitting in bed with her legs crossed desperately trying to conjure the magic that saved her that night. Her palm facing up, Lyra furrowed her brow and poured all her focus into it. A small flicker of black clouds would miraculously appear, secure a hold of itself for a few seconds and disappear. Producing her to yell in a frustrated tone hitting the thin mattress presented under.

It's only happened once before, during the Hogwarts battle when she thought Blaise was going to die at that desperate moment the foreign magic presented itself for the first time. Causing a death eater to collapse as his bleeding heart was cracked out from his exposed chest.

"Maybe it shows itself when I'm overcome with utter fear?" she said out loud, speaking for the first time.

Glancing around she noticed it's been an hour without Podmore disturbing her and took the chance to escape, merely wanting to walk around, get a bit of fresh air her wand glued to her palm.

She wandered the very hall that stood days ago with Dumbledore sobbing hysterically by his side.

Lyra was near the tower when she heard a distinctive voice echoing around the stone walls and froze.

"You think she's told anyone?"

Adams.

"If she did, we'd be expelled by now."

Clearwater.

She was breathless with anger, her temperature raised at an alarming rate. A ringing sound occupied her head, bouncing around each obscure corner of her dull brain. She gripped her wand so hard the bruised knuckles turned pure white.

She wanted them dead.

Each bite, each scratch, even the hot breath of fire whiskey saturated her mind.

She thought about it and the two optioned unwrapping themselves in front of her.

Walk away.

Go inside.

She went with the second option. Dragging her heels onto the floor, they turned to see her.

The bruises presented on her haggard face, the scab dragged across her sore lips. But what took them by bewildered surprise were her haunting eyes. The burning pain they possessed, the desire to kill, it was virtually animal like.

As she went in flicking her wand behind her back barricading the three of them.

"Lenkrov." Clearwater spoke bitterly.

She closed her eyes, slighting, turning her head away at the way he declared her name.

" _Silencio."_ Lyra casted.

" _Sectumsempra_." she gently spoke pointing her wand at Adams who flew back hitting his head marking him unconscious.

"You know Clearwater." she dragged out clicking her heel towards him. "Out of the unforgivable curses, can you guess which is my favorite?"

He backed away at the mention of the unforgivables.

"You're no fun. Come one guess." she grinned in an unsettling manner.

He stayed silent glancing over Adam's unconscious body surrounded by a pool of his own blood.

" _Crucio_." a glimmering red flash struck out from her wand and struck Clearwater onto the chest, she held her position for seconds.

Hearing the way his screams pierced her ears in utter satisfaction. On his knee's screaming as he begged for her to stop. It was music filled to her ears.

She pulled her wand back.

"It was...a... mistake." he sobbed, barely able to voice a sentence. He let out the building air that trapped themselves into his lungs, fighting to breathe.

"A mistake?" she bent down to meet his eyes, his terrified eyes and her dark filled eyes locked.

Lyra could feel the magic surrounding her body, spreading itself throughout the maze. He tried to crawl away, even willingly to flung himself off the tower if it meant he was far from her.

" _Crucio"_

This wasn't satisfying her, No.

She wanted him to feel it all. The suffering.

He stayed lying his back on the wall, clawing into it as he tried to hold himself up. Lyra crouched down to his side, jerking his jaw towards her, wanting to see the look of desperation in his eyes.

Then it happened. The black cloud she tried so aimlessly to conjure gracefully wrapping around his neck but this time it wasn't forcefully removing the air from his lungs.

Lyra wanted him to feel the absolute fear, the hopelessness she felt in that exact moment. The burning pain of him hitting her, the heart bursting fear when he unbuckled his belt.

The memory, the countless emotions flashing into both their minds as the black cloud forced it's way inside of his head.

He began sobbing, screaming for her to stop. He was feeling it all, living the memory as if it was happening to him instead of her.

"Please...just crucio me. Please."

"I think I prefer seeing you suffer instead." she laughed.

It felt as if hours went by, replaying the memory over and over again to the point he felt numb, he didn't move as his tearful eyes looked upon her.

"A word of this, even a sentence muttered to anyone and I won't hesitate to properly use the killing curse on you both."

"Y...Yes, I understand."

Just mere seconds before exiting she flicked her wand one last time, fracturing his arm in half, and shut the door to his screaming being silenced out by the silencing charm.

She didn't require anyone to miraculously save her.

She didn't need to desperately set her hope into someone else ever again.

Because no one came for her, not during the orphanage, not during the war, and especially not now.

Never again does she want to rely on someone else having to save her.  
  
  
  



	28. Chapter 28

Lyra was able to finally convince Nurse Podmore she's perfectly fine going back to her dorms, it was Friday night, and would like to spend the weekend in the comfort of her bed before resuming classes once again.

Desperately hoping she wouldn't run into anyone, she made sure to go at the latest time, confident that the common room would be empty.

Taking a peek over the painting and sighing from relief to find it abandoned. Quickly she ran towards her room slammed the door shut resting her forehead on the stable wooden door, her hand placed over her chest.

Standing there trying to calm her heart rate down she didn't know what to do. Maybe going back to the infirmary seems like a good option now.

Turning to face her room, Lyra was puzzled at the appearance.

Her bed neatly done, her books all stacked along with her uniform hanging in her closet. She noticed the clear indent left in her leather chair as if someone had sat there for days.

Riddle.

No, he would never do that, it can't be him.

Would he be happy to see her back?

Or would he be disappointed?

She shook her mind not wanting to pay any attention to the new state of her room or let her thoughts roam to him once again and began to undress, tossing the gowns she comfortably spent days in aside.

A shower, that's what she needed.

She turned the tap and stood directly under the boiling water feeling protected in the little space.

That's all she did, standing there trying to comprehend how she used the Cruciatus curse, how she enjoyed every second of it.

How the pain of the scabs and bruisings dissolved through the hot water.

Lyra wished she could just stand there forever.

Riddle sat in his room leaning against his bed, lost into the pages of a book not comprehending the words as Lyra lingered to the back of his mind.

After leaving Lyra's room he didn't care to go back, not wanting to sit there anymore like an idiot waiting for her presence as if she'd be glad to see him.

No, she'd be more excited in Mulciber's presence probably run into his arms since she spends so much time glued to him.

One last time, he would go check one last time to satisfy the annoying curiosity burned into his brain.

He exits his room going towards the familiar path already memorized.

Standing in front of the door Riddle thought to himself, "This is completely moronic." and placed his hand over the handle to push open.

But it didn't.

It was locked and barred with magic, strong magic especially.

He tried to break through it, force himself in but the magic wouldn't be lifted.

" _Bombarda_." the door ripped itself apart from the hinges falling straight loud with an echoing boom.

Lyra stood on the corner of her bed, wrapped in a towel with her puzzled eyes widened at the exploding door. She looked up to see Riddle standing there, his wand pointed up.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" she yelled at him.

All he witnessed was someone different standing across from him, she significantly lost weight especially in her face, the round cheeks she had once replaced with a caved-in hollow.

His critical eyes dragging themselves up and down her wounded legs scratched up, her arms deepened with purple and blue hand marks.

Her neck covered in bites, her lips ruthlessly torn.

Lyra noticed Riddle was anxiously examining her and looked down at her exposed body.

She hadn't exerted the casting charm.

Without hesitation, she ran into her bathroom locking the door, behind her.

"Should I still cast it? He already saw. Fuck." she voiced out.

He angrily began pounding on the door, "Open this door Lenkrov!"

"I'm naked get out!"

"I don't give a fuck, open the door or I'll make it explode!" it sounded like any second now the door would split in half with how hard he was battering it.

She gathered a deep breath in, stupidly muttering the casting charm to conceal everything, and shakingly unlocked the door and took a peek with the narrow cracked opening.

He ripped the door open standing in front of her, the marks presently gone."How stupid do you think I am Lenkrov? A disillusionment charm? _Revelabo Stultitiam_ ''

They reappeared all at once, she tried to cover herself as he undertook slight steps towards her but didn't take any back.

She maintained her frightened eyes focused on the cracked tiles not wanting to see him.

She didn't want him to see her like this.

He stood right in front of her not leaving any gap between them. "Look at me." his voice sounded as if he was pleading with her to barely look at him.

And so she did, slowly looking up at him not feeling afraid to be so close to someone so soon.

Riddle placed his nervous hand onto her neck, his thumb rested on her bruised jaw not speaking. Her eyes seemed so different it wasn't like her.

_"Please, Please stop."_

_"All you're doing is instantly turning me on Lenkrov."_

The words echoed into their brain the moment he stroked her.

Minor pieces of violent images flashing ominously into his mind of her screaming, behind held down.

Lyra pushed him away from her, wondering what was happening, was he seeing her memories?

This puzzled look of sore pity came over him, his lips parted as he tried to piece together what he just saw. At that moment the realization hit him, the marks, the memory, her disappearance.

It all hit him at once.

"Who.Did.This." he clenched his jaw balling his fists in rage.

His disordered mind became clouded with nothing but anger, nothing but the burning desire to brutally kill whoever it was that did that to her.

"I don't know what you mean, I simply fell off the moving stairs." she brushed past him intentionally trying to quickly dress herself. They walked out of the bathroom for her to see the once cracked door was back in its original place.

"Riddle please leave."

"Lenkrov I'm not a moron, since when do stairs have hands? I know what I saw."

She pulled over an oversized sweater to cover herself stopping under her thighs, "I don't know what you think you saw." she sat down onto the corner of her bed.

"I saw you screaming in agony, saw you held down by someone. Do not bother lying when I've seen it already." he crouched down between her legs looking up to her, "Can I...?"

He hesitated for a second.

What would he do? He doesn't recognize what he should do.

Hug her? Cling to her? How does someone like him comfort someone who suffered that?

"Did they?"

"No. It didn't get that far," she whispered.

He still didn't touch her. "They should pay."

"They already did."

He furrowed his brows puzzled at her statement. "What does that mean?"

"Nothing, you can pretend to stop caring now and leave." she sneered.

He stood up glaring ferociously at her, "Pretend to stop caring?"

"This isn't you Riddle, you only care about yourself! I don't know what's with this act but it's not deceiving me."

He let out a mocking laugh, of course, how could he be so stupid to think she'd find comfort with him. His face returned back to its emotionless self, "You're right. I don't care about you at all. I never did."

She stood up, "Then why are you still here. You probably were close to throwing a celebration party thinking ah finally the bitch left."

The way she always managed to anger him in mere seconds was never surprising, "Matter in fact I was. Finally, free of you and your annoying presence, oh the sheer joy I felt in knowing I would never have to see you again. You want to know why Lenkrov? Because no one cares about you here, not your own people who abandoned you to die, not even your parents who abandoned you. You have no one and if you were to die no one would mourn you. You'd become nothing but just a name engraved on a tombstone alone."

"And who'd mourn you Riddle? Your parents? Your friends who seem to follow you around like dogs? Or maybe Frey would mourn you, the sole person who seems obsessed with you even though you treat her like garbage. I had people who cared about me, I had that once but you," she looked him up and down forcing her face into his, "You've never had that before which makes me pity you. To not know how it feels that you hold a unique place in someone's heart, You never will get to experience that."

"I wish they finished what they started on you." The moment he rolled off the last word, he deeply bitterly regretted it.

His comment took her aback, with a slight gasp escaping her lips as she looked at him with disgust at the personal remark. Her angry expression dropped into a heart stabbing emotion of overwhelming sadness, terribly shocked he would ever say that to her.

She held her lips to a faint line biting her lower lip, her eye's glossed, "Please leave."

Riddle wanted to say he didn't mean it, that it was just the unreasonable anger he was overcome with, but he didn't.

He departed from her, left her standing alone hearing small sobs silenced out the moment he shut the door.

So fucking stupid he thought.

To think she would want to be comforted by him.

Riddle lost it and wrecked his room, knocking the items off his desk launching his books at his mirror.

So fucking stupid.

Lyra ripped her bed apart, throwing her books towards the door as she screamed hysterically, "I HATE HIM. I HATE HIM. GOD, THAT FUCKING BASTARD!" thinking how stupid she was to even miss him. To want to be with him at her lowest point. She broke down onto the floor hugging her knees, surrounded by the mess she had caused wishing she never came here.

Wishing Draco never entrusted her with a crucial mission.

He couldn't leave her alone like that, she needed someone to be with her. He forcefully against his will went to Mulciber, Nott's, and Avery's room knocking on it.

"Riddle..." Nott yawned as he opened the door, "It's three a.m, what's wrong?"

"Lenkrov is in her room. She needs someone."

"Lenkrov is back?" he heard Mulciber's eager voice from behind Nott.

"Go to her and don't ask any questions, especially now. Where's Avery?" his harsh voice sounded regretful.

"He's at the Hufflepuff dorm's I think," Nott answered.

Without another word, Riddle left.

The two, not even getting dressed, rushed frantically to her door to hear screaming. They forced it open to see her on the floor crying, her body seemed as if she was ambushed by something or someone with her room in an absolute mess.

They asked no questions just as Riddle ordered. She looked up, expecting it was Riddle but a look of happiness expressed on her face.

Lyra stood and ran to them, embracing both in a tight gripped hug as she buried her head between them. "I missed you two." she didn't want to let them go.

"We missed you too." they wouldn't let go.

The two after minutes let her go, Mulciber wiping away the tears drenched on her rosy face. "Let's clean this mess should we love?"

She swallowed with difficulty the lump in her sore throat and shook her head, "Can I stay with you two? I...I don't want to be alone just tonight."

"Of course you can. We can clean this later okay?" Nott spoke and acted so gentle to her.

"Just grab a few things and change, me and Nott will wait right outside the door."

She nodded her head as they left her and placed a few essential items into her small bag.

Lyra looked at the nightgown she always loved to wear, the familiar one she always felt comfortable in and flicked her wrist to alter the emerald silk fabric into long pants with a matching long sleeve slipping into them feeling safe.

The three didn't speak as they went towards their room.

"Avery isn't here, you can sleep in his bed," Mulciber told.

"Can I sleep next to you, I know it's stupid to ask, if you feel uncomfortable I can ju-"

He opened his blanket and patted the vacant area next to him, "I'm warning you I'm a cuddler." he joked.

She slightly laughed and crawled comfortably next to him.

He looked at the marks on her wrist, imagining what could've happened, he rolled up the blanket around her and not wanting to touch her, and felt like he had to protect Lyra.


	29. Chapter 29

She woke to find Mulciber snoring leaned up against the headboard.

Lyra felt bad seeing him like this, knowing he likely stayed up all night watching over her. She glanced over to Nott's bed and detected it to be empty.

Glancing around the room, she spotted Nott laying on the floor next to her, hugging his blanket while he was faced down onto the pillow.

"Nott," she whispered tenderly.

He didn't move.

"Niles," she spoke with her voice above a whisper.

"Five more minutes Mum," he muttered in a drowsy voice.

Lyra decided to allow him to sleep, even though she knew he felt uncomfortable she let him be.

_"I wish they finished what they started!"_

The cruel words like a broken record floated through her mind in utter sadness.

But what else should she naively expect from someone like him, someone who knocked her unconscious, who called her a whore.

"That bastard," she muttered to herself.

"Who's a bastard?" Mulciber barely yawned waking up.

"No one."

"My guess is you're talking about Riddle."

"I don't want to talk about it."

She didn't want them to know, not only about the argument they had but overall what happened to her. She didn't want to open up to them unless she was completely ready, maybe she'd never tell them since they haven't asked any questions.

Lyra laid nervously to her side encountering him, "I'm sorry I left without an explanation."

"I didn't want to bring it up but," his eyes wandered to her neck, "What happened?"

She detected him looking down and pulled up the covers to her neck, "Can we not talk about that."

He noticed she became uncomfortable and brushed it off. The pair laid in pleasant silence nothing but the distinctive sounds of Nott's mumbling.

"He was worried you know."

She became puzzled at the sudden statement, "Who?"

"Nevermind." He awkwardly stood up brushing the blanket off him and went into the restroom.

Riddle didn't sleep through the night; he couldn't stop recollecting the words he said to her, the memory's he caught a glimpse of. What's worse is he knew that Lyra probably spent the eternal night with Nott and Mulciber, he hated knowing they could be there for her in a way he never could.

It seems no matter what he does the two always end up fighting, reaching a sensitive nerve only they could. She was right, there would be no one to mourn Riddle, there was no one who held a special place in their heart for him.

Who requires that when Riddle has power, gains loyal followers, has people to carry out every little thing he wants for him, he fucking beat death. He was an immortal, a god even one might say.

Love.

Friendship.

Completely signified nothing to him, and it never will. To Riddle, it was a weakness, a waste of time to dab in such meaningless things.

But the way Lyra reacted to his last words before he left, he had never seen her look so disappointed how her cheeks became flushed red like they repeatedly do when she's upset. All because of him, his stupidity, the way her eyes looked so hurt on the verge of tears, for the first time in his life he wanted to apologize to someone.

She had this effect on him, at first it was mere curiosity he had about an unknown powerful witch. But now it's as if she's latched into his brain, constantly taking over his thoughts making him say or ask the stupidest thing's against his own judgment.

Lyra let Nott and Mulciber know she wanted to spend some time alone in her room to clean up the terrible mess and enjoy some personal time to herself.

As she opened the door the ruffled feathers spread around, the ripped books, her mattress out of the frame all made her realize maybe she does have anger issues.

She sighed and grabbed her wand from the drawer and in seconds her room enhanced to its old self.

Lyra sat in the chair as opposed to her bed, hugging her knees.

They fought so much, the fights they had in her room made her hate staying there.

Her stomach growled, and it came to a point where she couldn't ignore her hunger anymore, the constant starvation would always make her so tired, so weak. But she didn't want to escape her room and felt bad about asking one of the boys to bring her breakfast as if they're her servants.

Throwing on whatever clothes were in her sight she went up to the door hesitating at first about leaving, wondering if she'd bump into the rest of the boys, Weasley or even worse, Clearwater.

"I will not let him get to me even more." she breathed out and flung it open with confidence.

Riddle stood there, his hand in a fist as if he was about to knock, he held his breath, gazing at her as she looked at him with betrayal, his heart beating at a rapid rate wondering what her next action would be.

Hit him?

Curse at him?

She took a short step back looking at him; he looked worse than her. His eye's bloodshot, the dark rings presenting under his bag, the perfect curls in a tangled mess.

"Our project is due Monday." he blurted out.

She didn't speak.

He handed her a piece of parchment, to which she glanced at were ingredients of a healing potion he had created for them.

"Double the wormwood to spread more rapidly." she sternly spoke.

Riddle nodded his head, "Mhm."

Her stomach growled even louder making her wrap her arms around herself and turn away in embarrassment. She brushed past him wanting to grab breakfast and looked back to see he didn't follow her.

Probably for the best.

Lyra went into the kitchens opposed to the great hall and thoughtfully asked the elves for tomato soup and grilled cheese.

A modest meal she always enjoyed eating, reminding her how Narcissa would always feed her the same meal when Lyra was sick or upset.

Sitting there with the presence of the house-elves she felt pleasant in the minutes she quickly devoured her first meal of days.

"Miss is upset?" Tibly carried out slight steps towards her across the polished table.

"You can call me Lyra Tibly. It's alright. But yes I'm upset." she spoke effectively playing with the silver spoon in her bowl."I was supposed to do something important, but I'm failing miserably."

"Can Tibly help?"

She smiled politely at him, "I sincerely wish you could."

\------

Lyra thought about not going to class Monday, that skipping one more day wouldn't cause harm but she had a project due, and he was relying on her.

"Ugh." she groaned not wanting to leave her snug bed.

Just before leaving she produced a casting charm to cover her neck not worrying about her body since the robes and uniform concealed it.

Her face was left untouched since her official story about her disappearance would be she fell off the moving stairs, it would seem unusual for her to come back untouched with no marks.

She had left her room with only a few minutes left before class began, Lyra didn't want to have to sit at the great hall and get interrogated by everyone about her whereabouts.

What was worse than her coming back was that Clearwater and Adams were in potions with her, in fact, they had most classes with her.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

She quietly opened the door, holding it, so it didn't slam so she could quickly get to her seat.

"Ah, Miss Lenkrov!" Slughorn yelled gleefully.

The loud mention of her sound caused Riddle to pause from reading his notes. surprised that she came.

Was it not too soon for her to come back?

Would she be able to be around people?

Why does he keep thinking such idiotic things just with the mere mention of her name?

She smiled sheepishly and produced her way towards him, "Hello Professor."

"Miss Lenkrov dear it's so good to see you again. Merlin's beard what happened to your face?" he placed his hands onto his belly inspecting her.

"I fell off the moving stairs, very clumsy of me I know."

"Well, we've all been there once or twice, unusual, just a few days ago two students fell off their broomsticks practicing after overnight curfew. You should all be careful." he laughed.

Her eyes instantly went to Clearwater and Adams who nervously started shaking when they greeted her fierce eyes.

He walked away, and she went to her seat next to Nott like before.

"Look who's back," Malfoy exclaimed.

"What's with the face?" Lestrange bluntly spoke.

"Got drunk and fell off the moving stairs." She laughed off.

"Just like Rosier during fourth year, good times." Malfoy laughed merrily as he set his head down.

Lyra turned her head to face Nott only to be cordially greeted with a scone being shoved in her mouth. She crossed her eyes looking at the sweet that was hastily placed into her mouth.

"You skipped breakfast."

"Thank you." she muffled through the scone.

"Today you'll all be presenting your potions. I'm extremely eager to mark what you all came up with over the weeks," Slughorn spoke."Riddle and Lenkrov you're up first."

She didn't look at him and left her seat at the front of the class desk.

"We have produced a healing potion that works double in speed to heal sufficiently and protect a wound from possible infection. With Lenkrov's suggestion, we used raw bat bones to help in making the potion target the critical source of a wound instead of overly focusing on the surrounded damage."

She furrowed her scowling brows and turned to him.

Bat bones. She used bat bones in the potion that healed Riddle's terrible burn. But under no circumstances did she tell anyone, especially him what she added into that potion.

But how did he know?

"Lenkrov." he returned a smile to her indicating she should speak.

She caught her words and smiled, "Yes we also added double wormwood compared to other healing potions to spread at a more accelerated speed to surrounding damage while the bat bones focus on the main part. The vervain infusion we added prevents the other two ingredients from confronting one another completely balancing it out."

"Fascinating and have you tested the mix out? Surely you can't know if the potion doesn't cause any side effects." Slughorn questioned anxiously.

"You did test it right?" she leaned close to his ear and murmured it.

"What did you want me to do? Stab a rabbit and deliver it in for show and tell?" he gritted through his uneasy smile.

She only thought of one foolish thing they could perform to not lose any critical points, this project held an enormous portion of their grade.

"We actually thought it would be better to show you on an actual wound." She smiled and conjured a small dagger onto the desk.

Without hesitation she snatched the dagger and cut it into the palm of her hand in a slanting line, the blood dripping off palms slightly wincing in pain.

Gasps spread out through the classroom at her hastily violent actions.

She instantly looked towards Riddle who stood there wide-eyed and kept wiggling her expressive eyes towards the potion he was holding and at her palm.

He understands her and places two drops along her palm as she held it out for everyone to observe in a matter of seconds the wound disappears leaving a faint pink scar.

"See, it works." she smiled at Slughorn who sat in disbelief.

Slughorn established his way towards them in slow steps and clapped his expressive hands in a radiant smile. "I knew you two would not fail to astonish me, but Miss Lenkrov next time please do try to not use yourself as a demonstration. Well done you two."

The class let out an awkward clap when they head back to their seats.

"Are you mad Lyra?" Nott whispered reaching for her hand but the sudden contact made her flinch unexpectedly.

"Are you alright?" he asked her pulling his hand away.

"Ya it's just that my hand still hurts a little so I didn't want you to grab it that's all." she brushed him off.

"That was quite stupid," Riddle added in.

Her gentle smile dropped into a more grave tone, "It saved our grade didn't it? It's not like you care that I hurt myself?" she rolled her eyes and turned her back to see the other students present their potions.

That's exactly what he told her.

" _You're right. I don't care about you at all. I never did."_

Class ended rather quickly but Slughorn asked her and Riddle to stay after.

"I've noticed how well you two work very well together throughout these few weeks and I must say I knew my two most promising students would not fail to amaze me with this assignment. Miss Lenkrov I reinstated Slug Club last week. It was a shame you couldn't attend. You will be attending with Riddle on Wednesday correct?"

"Yes, Professor I wouldn't dare try to miss it again but,” she glanced towards Riddle then bought her attention back to Slughorn, “I'll be coming by myself." she smiled.

"I was under the impression you two were..." he raised his eyebrows.

"Oh no Professor we," she waved her hands between the new space she created between her and Riddle, "aren't."

"We're mere friends," Riddle stated as he threw his arm over her shoulder displaying a false charming smile.

But this time she didn't flinch when she was touched, not in the way she did with Nott. He felt warm and snug as if he was a human blanket. His nimble fingers stayed comfortably rested on her shoulder with his thumb slighting caressing the fabric in circular motions.

She wrapped her nervous hand around his waist pulling him even close to her. "Just mere friends." with a great beaming fake smile.

"I see, well I wouldn't want to keep you two busy, run along now." Slughorn shooed them out, while they until now displayed their arms around each other.

Riddle and Lyra stood in that key position in the empty corridors for a few more seconds then abruptly let go.

"I shouldn't have touched you," he spoke with his hands balled up by his side.

She nodded her head however not looking at him and clutched her bag strap walking away in the opposite direction.

The distinctive sound of her clicking heel echoing in the empty hallway.


	30. Chapter 30

"Lyra you're so infuriating, just wear the damn dress," Mulciber spoke with apparent exhaustion.

"It's a school club, not the Malfoy ball. Why do I have to wear a dress?" she yelled, throwing the raven blue silk dress to her bed.

He groaned and placed his head in his hands, "That's how it is, you think I constantly want to wear a dress shirt and my dress robe trousers? No, now suck it up."

"You're not the one who has to forcefully wear heels," she huffed, picking up the black dainty heels to which she warily eyed with an uncomfortable look.

"I give up," he said flinging his body backward onto the bed.

She grabbed the elegant dress which was off the shoulder with a corset-like top that fanned out just above her ample waist and groaned. "Turn around so I can change."

"I'm flattered, but you lack the part I'm interested in." he waved his wand around to her lower half.

She rolled her eyes in a small laughter and took off the loose-fitting jumper and trouser she had changed into after her uniform, standing into her white lace knickers and bra, feeling completely vulnerable. Mulciber might remain the sole person she'd naturally feel comfortable being around semi-naked for a while.

She turned and slipped into the dress with him looking at the frail injured body, in bruises and scars.

"Zip me up ya?" she politely asked, pulling her now straight hair aside.

He walked over, his eye was stuck onto the scars on her back, and zipped her dress while taking a deep breath in. "Will, you ever tell me what happened to you?"

"Maybe one day." she hummed as she sat clasping her heels. "How do I look?" Lyra spun around for him to get a proper look.

"Like the prettiest woman in the castle." he smiled looking at her shoulders with the visible bra straps showing. "Forgetting something?" his finger hooking under and snapping it.

Lyra pulled down the adjustable straps, unclasping it with ease, and tossed it to her chair before running out her dorm.

They stood in front of the class door, arms linked, "God I don't want to be here." she scoffed.

"Shut it and smile." he placed his fingers on the edge of her rosy lips and pulled it up to a smile.

He held the door for her as they walked in.

"Ah Miss Lenkrov you've finally arrived," Slughorn exclaimed with a drink in his hand.

The rest of the boys were already there standing around Riddle all also with a drink in their hand, eyeing her altered appearance.

Riddle found it odd to see her perfumed hair straight with two perfect curls framing her face. How she stood so close to Mulciber not letting her nervous eyes wander aimlessly towards him.

Everyone took a seat around the circular table Riddle directly across from her with Mulciber and Lestrange on by her sides.

"I must say Tom, my boy, how ever did you think of a potion like that?" Slughorn asked as he took a sip of his alcoholic drink.

"It was a joined effort with Lenkrov, and she held most of the ideas," he smiled awkwardly towards her.

"It seems you're most skilled with miraculously healing properties, why is that?" Slughorn arched a curious brow to her.

Lyra took a sip of her sparkling water nervously trying to think of something close to the truth, "Well to be honest Professor I was somewhat of a healer I suppose."

"A healer? For St.Mungos?"

"Not exactly, more like," she tried to express it correctly, "something off the books."

"What exactly does that mean?"

"You see Professor some wizards or witches sometimes simply don't have the time to go to a healer or are too wounded to apparate to St.Mungos, that's where I would come in. The woman who took me under her wing, um she instructed me well." That was the most foolish thing she could ever say.

"You healed those wounded from the war?" he asked.

"Yes exactly. Over time I became a natural healer but began experimenting to discover something that would get rid of lasting scars. Regrettably, I haven't had the pleasure of producing such a thing yet." which was the harsh truth.

She deeply hated seeing her body in that state, luckily a remedy she created would heal any fresh wound with ease and barely a visible scar to show. Lyra wished she and Neville were able to create it at the start before all the wounds were forced onto her.

"Didn't you fight as well," Riddle chimed in, "in the war?"

He took the opportunity to ask that one question she always turned away from, it was a perfect advantage. There's no way she could blatantly ignore him or attempt to change the topic.

She gripped her glass on the verge of shattering any moment and took a heavy breath in, "I took a small role in the fighting, nothing too serious."

"Wouldn't that be impossible, to take a small role if you're constantly surrounded by those wounded from Grindelwald's men? I suppose it was his men as well as who attacked you when you were struck in the shoulder, then were abandoned by your people."

Mulciber carefully placed a comforting hand onto her knee from under the table, while Lyra bit her lip and tilted her head desperately trying to with difficulty keep her pent-up anger in control, "I think we've talked about me quite enough, don't want to seem rude."

"But it's your first time here, evidently you are the main guest today, an interesting one too."

She desperately wanted to reach over that table and grab him by the neck.

"I don't like being the center of attention," she solemnly warned him.

"Well, it's not every day you meet a brilliant young witch who can for some reason touch those deeply infected by dark magic. Or someone who's a Parselmouth, or has been under the cruciatus curse."

"Merlin Miss Lenkriv you've been under the cruciatus curse before?" Slughorn cut in looking terribly concerned.

Lyra looked at Riddle with such rage, she could feel the unreasonable anger boiling to her cheeks, the way her fists became sweaty as she dug her nails into her palms. She instantly relaxed and looked at the Professor, "It was a long time ago Professor."

"Was it Grindelwalds men?" Riddle asked.

"I don't want to talk about it. Isn't really dinner conversation."

Lestrange clapped his hands, "So about the quidditch game last week. Great win for Slytherin no?" he laughed nervously.

The conversation instantly switched amongst the Professor and boys, going into detail of game tactics and whatnot.

An hour had passed and the focus never shifted back towards her.

Every few moments Lyra would have had to shut her eyes and count down to ten in her mind, trying to control her breathing.

Being around this many men with only one other woman insight made her severely uncomfortable. The classrooms she could manage but this, she could barely sit without the constant tapping of her foot.

She still couldn't let it go, the fundamental constant hovering he had over her. Wanting to pry into every single detail of her life as if he had the right.

"I am not a book or project for you to try to understand." Lyra randomly blurted out causing the room to go silent. "You possess no right," she stood placing her palms onto the table, the pain of the crescent moons embedded into her palms still lingering, "to question me about anything about my life when I have repeatedly turned away from your prying questions." he looked furious by her remark around other people.

"Professor," she turned her head to face a confused Slughorn, "I have had a pleasant time tonight, unfortunately, I still feel weak from the accident, pardon me." she kicked her chair aside and stormed out. The heels clicking at a rapid speed as she heard faint footsteps behind her.

Lyra knew it was Riddle and stopped instantly in her tracks to turn. The sudden halt terribly surprised Riddle as he stood face to face with her.

"Have fun then? Interrogating me as if I'm a petty criminal. Why? WHY? Do you care so much about my past? About my personal life? Do you see me relentlessly trying to get under your skin? To find out who the real Tom Riddle is. Because I know for a damn fact the real Tom Riddle isn't the one who flashes a convincing saint-like smile at students and Professors. No, the real Tom Riddle is the one who almost killed me in the towers." She screamed hysterically then instantly pushed him by his chest.

He stood there with a lump stuck in his throat, intentionally trying to control himself from losing his composure. Riddle has been digging excessively into her life and was expecting her to explode prematurely any minute.

"The real Tom Riddle, who didn't hesitate to wish that I had been raped," she scarcely finished.

Her words demolished him, a knot twisted around his abdomen and his body became instantly hot. He recalled her pain, her screaming, and pleas. Riddle looked at her with regret, his eyes drawing down into a mournful expressive look as he took a step back from her.

Riddle realized there was no point insincerely apologizing, she would always perceive him as a villain, always make him out as one constantly reminding him of what he's done.

"You know what's worse," she continued her face intentionally trying to hide back tears, "What's worse is I don't flinch when you touch me. I've allowed you to perceive the obscurest parts of me, and you're the only person who hasn't treated me like a wounded animal that needs saving. I hate it, I hate after everything you've done I still feel comfortable around you. It felt so suffocating being in that room with all the men but you made me feel somewhat okay about being there. What's worse was while I was laying in that uncomfortable infirmary bed I longed to see you," she let out a small laugh her eyes now filled almost on the verge of release, "Stupid of me no? To miss you and want to be around you as if we're friends. Stupid to think you would ev-"

Her rant was cut off with his gentle hand placed onto her ample waist, one behind her neck as he tenderly kissed her.

She hesitated just for a considered second, trying to comprehend what he was doing, before deepening the passionate kiss, wrapping her protecting arms around his neck as she stood on her tiptoes. Pulling him as he vigorously pressed her into the cold stone wall.

Something allowed them to completely let go in that moment. To just melt into each other in a way neither have experienced before.

They couldn't stop themselves, not like before, neither would dare pull away from the moment everything has been leading up to.

His hand found its way to her lustrous hair, frantically grabbing a handful of it pressing her even more into him properly securing her so there is no way she would attempt to break them up not wanting there to be a millimeter of space created.

The smell of lavender suffocating him, the taste of cherries desperately satisfying his needs.

It felt like a burning fire that had spread out of control, one mere touch at the direct connection of their eager lips clouded their minds, their movements not of their own.

Her distinctive touch had the power to forcibly drive him mad, but a burning kiss made him go against his own morals.

She felt dizzy, the only thing properly holding her up realistically was the aggressive tight grip he had on her. Lyra felt as if she was seeing stars hovering around her pressed eyes, it felt euphoric, almost as if he was a drug. His tongue brushing past hers as he licked her teeth swallowing a small gasp escaped with difficulty from her burning throat.

He lost control of himself and needed to stop.

He couldn't.

Not with her.

Riddle wrapped his careless hands around her waist pulling her up as she instantly wrapped her visible legs around his, squeezing them to not allow him to even briefly break them apart.

She never wanted it to end, never wanting him to break even for a second.

The passionate feeling he was causing her was an unexplored emotion, a new sensation she had never felt before.

Not with Harry.

Not with Lestrange.

She didn't care that she shouldn't be doing this because for once Lyra had reluctantly decided to be selfish. To finally do what she wants.

The way Riddle kept tightening his crushing hold against her bruised ribs inadvertently made her feel as if her body was floating aimlessly, about to burst any critical second if he continued.

Her eager finger's danced into his curled hair, tugging them while furiously digging her driven nails into his scalp. He slightly pulled away as he savagely bit her bottom warm lip laboriously dragging it out as her groans filled his attentive ears before letting go.

Riddle and Lyra gazed upon each other, taking account of their flushed cheeks and swollen lips. Their heavy breathing and rapid heartbeats satisfying their ears in the empty hallway.

He desperately looked at her to notice as if there were luminous stars in her expressive eyes. The way her eyes softened but were so immense almost innocent. Lyra was looking at him through a whole new world.

And he knew.

That she completely desired the identical thing as him.

He pressed his forehead against hers once again feeling as if there were fireworks transferring the moment their skin made contact.

Just breathing heavily into each other's ruby swollen lips.

They haven't known it yet, at that moment the two somewhat innocent souls would become each other's greatest weakness.

For Riddle would never let her go, he would never allow her to be anyone else's.

Lyra Arabella Lenkrov belonged only to him.


	31. Chapter 31

_TW: KNIVES AND BLOOD_

Riddle and Lyra stood there, her leading legs hoisted around him, his generous hands under her thighs. The pair properly registered what they had just done.

Neither one wants to voluntarily speak first, afraid they'd get involved in another fight or forcefully run away acting like it didn't happen. His eyes lingered to her lips, how soft they were, how he wanted to go back into the euphoric state he was present.

He lightly traced the familiar shape of her sensual lips, despairingly wanting to taste her again, wanting to be warm again. "I never wished for that to happen to you," he breathlessly spoke out after what felt like countless hours, the silence nearly drowning them. He ultimately met her glittering eyes, "I don't know how to comfort people, I've never had to before. I've also never had to apologize before because I've never cared to. I understand it's not something you should forgive me so easily f-"

She enclosed the space between him, intimately connecting their lips once more. Instantly resuming the tension building up inside her. Her fingers regaining its original place back into the obsidian curls but more gently this time. The other hand placed by his neck with her thumb pressing into his chiseled jaw.

Her brain shut up, stopped thinking the moment she went back to kissing him, for once her mind was un-flooded, filled with nothing but the sensation of his cold fingers roaming around her burning skin the feeling of his ring buried into her thigh. The way their tongue's inseparably connected as if they had been away for the longest time in absolute agony.

He let out a profound sigh of relief when she cut him off, he was worried that one wrong word would send her off. It was a blessing in disguise. He's desperately aching for something unfamiliar, though kissing her was already a new experience he wants to savor over and over again, he wanted- no, he needed something new.

Pushing away from her lips, his own lips instantly found the something new he wanted, right onto her neck his tongue traced her jaw, carefully tracing every vein running down, sending a knot into her abdomen.

"Is this okay?" he murmured tenderly onto the crevasses of her neck while suckling right at the jugular.

She leaned her head back hurling it onto the stone wall with her eyes shut vastly, "For you- _oh_ \- for only you, it is."

 _"For only you, it is_ "

She shouldn't have said that.

He had this feral-like look wash across his black eyes, filled with a lustrous desire to possess her in a way he never expected to before. The image of having her beg for him, to only allow him to touch her clouded his mind.

Throwing her over his shoulder, he secured his hand over her bum for the flowing skirt to not rise up, she yelped at the sudden stop.

"Riddle, what are you doing?"

He didn't address her but maintained his steady pace. She realized where they were going, "Are you mad what if someone sees us like this is the common room."

"Pureblood," The painting opened. Her heart swelled at the thoughts running through her mind, pondering why he came to a sudden stop.

Riddle opened her room before kicking it shut placing her down onto the leather chair instead of the bed. He reached for his wand and cast a silencing charm before tossing his wand to the side. She stood but her action was stopped when he placed his hands around her shoulder slamming her down.

He went down to his knees never looking away from her frightened but anxious gaze.

The fabric of her dress got in the way, he gripped the edge of it ripping it apart straight from the center with ease.

"I liked this dress," she muttered.

"I'll buy you a new one."

He scooped one hand around her thigh, yanking her towards him as he placed it over his shoulder.

She realized what he was about to do and nervously tried to push him off making him reach up with his available hand jerking her way towards him, "Move again and you'll sincerely regret it." his sultry voice set her in a trancelike state.

She shut her eyes feeling his fingers trail up her thighs towards her damp knickers, "I want you to look at me while I do this to you,"

She looked down to notice the scratch marks she hid presented out in front of him, a small gasp was released as she tried covering them with her hand.

He whacked it away and began to tenderly kiss each line from start to finish, "I want to kill him," **kiss**. "I want to carve his heart out with my bare hands," **another kiss**. "Who was it?"

"It's," **kiss** "been taken care of Riddle." she lowered her head.

"How did you take care of it." he placed his tender hot mouth over the thin white lace knickers and started to lick.

"God I- Fuck," she jerked her hips deeper into his face, a bolt of lightning firing up her prominent spine across her legs as she squeezed them between his head.

"Use your words for me, describe what you did."

Riddle barely touched her and she couldn't control her words, mumbling desperately trying to produce a coherent sentence but with his head there, him touching a place she had never felt before.

"Cruciatus" she finally was able to word out.

He pulled his head up from between her thighs taken back by what she had said to take a moment to think, "Show me."

"No."

" _Please_."

For all one knows it was the violent rush of adrenaline coursing through her veins or the possibility that for the first time she detected him say please, almost begging her to. That Lyra placed her hands cupping his jaw and lured him in for a gentle kiss, not like the ones from before emitting lust and anger.

The memory of stumbling into the tower with Adams and Clearwater.

The image of Adam's surrounded by a pool of his own blood knocked unconscious.

Clearwater sobbing and screaming as violent red flashed ominously. Her using the cruciatus with the utmost darkest satisfaction as she laughed bitterly at his desperate pleas.

Him crawling to the edge to throw himself off just to escape her.

Riddle stood there in her memory soaking up every anxious minute of it.

She was as twisted as him.

She was as ruthless as him.

Lyra stopped the memory right before she applied her unusual magic onto Clearwater, not wanting Riddle to merely know about it yet, and pulled away from the kiss.

She was expecting him to look at her with ghastly horror, appalled she scarcely dared to cast an unforgivable on school grounds. But instead, he buried his anxious face deeper into her, throwing both legs around his shoulder's his hands placed just under her knees, swirling his tongue around the thin fabric.

"Did you enjoy hurting them? he muffled.

"Yes." she leaned her head back digging into the arms of the chair with this new foreign sensation sorely trying to squeeze her thighs but he plucked them apart forcefully.

He clasped his arm from under her leg placing his fingers over the sloppy mess mixed with his saliva and her juices.

Her hand reached for his hair, clamping her lips to not allow herself to moan.

"Is this what you want?" Riddle spoke in a seductive state as he cautiously slid his fingers up circling her clit.

She arched her back trying to get closer to his fingers as he pulled away causing her to sigh from expressed frustration.

"Is me pulling your face there not an apparent answer," her voice hinted with frustration.

Riddle tilted his head raising his brows completely admiring the state she was in all because of him. Her plastered hair tangled in a mess, the ruby lips bruised from how hard he was kissing her, and the way her legs were spread out just for him soaked just as he barely did anything.

"Fine Riddle if that's how you want it," she extended her hand down to her core trying to satisfy herself since he kept teasing her and began to move her two fingers around her clit in circular motions.

He eagerly snatched her hand away while wrapping the other around her waist, picking her up as he arose and launched her onto the bed while pinning her hands down.

She felt his erection pressing right into her core when he started to grind his hips against her.

" _Tom_ ," she resorted to begging.

The way she flicked his familiar name off the tip of her tongue in a desperate out of breath plea purely made him desire her to beg more. He moved onto the floor on his knees pulling her in and moved her knickers aside while placing his index finger inside her with ease with how wet she was slowly moving in and out while his thumb was circulating her clit.

"Yes, _fuck_ ,"

"Pathetic," he spat out, "look at yourself falling apart with a single touch." he pulled away once again.

"And what will you do Lyra, if I just walk out of your room, leaving you like this."

She gaped at him with a faint smile appearing across her sensual lips, "Maybe I'll see what Lestrange is up to toni-" she screamed as he inserted two fingers inside her curling them without notice.

He became violent with his movements with the mention of Lestrange, pumping in and out of her as the memory of their affair crept into his mind.

She pulled him up by his hair to her face placing a kiss as he swallowed her hitched moans, pulling his finger out as she ripped off his suit and began impatiently unbuttoning his dress shirt. The buttons kept getting stuck and to her pent-up frustration, she ripped them open easily projecting them off.

He flipped her over onto her stomach unzipping the dress before sliding her out of it, tossing it to the side before flipping her back and ripping her knickers off, immediately Lyra bound her legs around him pulling him up from the floor.

Conjuring a dagger, he began streaming it across her exposed breasts, over the collarbones as she gasped with the coldness of the blade. "For every piteous moan, I'll carve a letter right here," he gripped one of her breasts squeezing it as she reluctantly released a moan.

"You never listen do you Lyra." he began to carve a letter as she clamps her lips to not let out any noise.

_T_

He sank two fingers into her and initiated to move furiously, pumping her in and out as she gripped the sheets with one hand and buried her driven nails into his shoulder with the other.

He latched his touch around her nipple swirling around it sucking it just before biting down.

She couldn't hold herself back her lips began to bleed with the considerable amount of force she was biting and released another moan.

_O_

Tingles of heat were spreading across her superior spine as she was close to finishing, he could feel her tighten around his fingers and inserted another one.

She was an absolute utter mess under him, her throat constricted with the burning of her suppressed moans almost as much as her thighs were burning close to her climax.

He kept pumping in and out of her, speeding up his thumb around her clit with her whimpering the tension about to explode any possible second.

A few more seconds and she intentionally let out a moan finishing over his flexible fingers with her walls tightening as her toes curled.

_M_

She laid there numb a feeling of pain washing over her breast with tears running down her sides when she overheard him unzip his trousers. Leaned against her elbows to see him standing completely naked. Her eyes widened at his size wondering how on earth he would fit inside her.

Tom crawled stealthily on top of her, his hand on her thigh with his elbow on the bed. He began tenderly kissing her jaw, her shoulders and bit her flexible neck. Carefully tracing the innocent blood dripping down her chin up to her lips kissing her with the metallic taste swirled with their saliva. He placed his fingers into her mouth as she clutched his hand swirling her tongue around it to taste herself, taking them in and out keenly watching him with the most mesmerizing gaze. He smirked to himself feeling utterly satisfied perceiving her in this state, "Such a good girl for me."

Lyra gently tugged his hair back and seized the silver dagger laid next to her head and strategically placed the tip onto his lips cutting into it while his blood poured down. She placed her other hand on the back of his neck instantly pulling him in with the connection of their lips. She felt so desperate to be touched by him, to have the feeling of his skin against hers as if he flipped a switch on every nerve emitting a needed spark of electricity throughout her body. The warm feeling of blood and saliva mixing caused Tom to groan into her mouth, his erection pressing into her thigh. To hear him groan felt like she was voluntarily entering the pearly gates of merciful heaven. He placed himself between her folds grabbing her hips as he gradually moved between the wetness and heat.

"You were saying about Lestrange?" he hummed.

"He would've," she had to gain a hold of her breath, "fucked me by now."

Without hesitation he slammed his erection all the way inside her, she screamed as if it felt like she was being ripped apart. He groaned at her tightness and began to choke her with one hand staying comfortably still not budging an inch.

"Beg," he demanded eagerly pulling her up to his dark eyes,

"Never." she laughed.

"You're so," he pulled himself all the way out causing her to hiss from the profound emptiness, "fucking stubborn." Tom tightened his hearty grip on her throat sliding himself all the way in while pushing her head back down, "Nothing is easy with you is it."

Tears were falling from her eyes at the torture, but she worshiped it, never desired it to stop feeling like she was in heaven.

Not fast enough to her liking she locked her ankles together and forced him in all the way, fastening her eyes from the pleasure mixed with pain. She heard a faint laugh as he pulled out, "Impatient are we?"

"Tom please," her pleasant voice felt tight around his secure grip, "it hurts."

"Do you want this?"

"I want....." she trailed off.

"For fucks sake Lyra do you want this?" he huffed in visible annoyance.

"Yes fuck, fine I want you. Are you happy? I want you to fuck me."

This time he sank himself into her slowly, their moans mixed with pleasure as she dug her nails marking him with force leaving active streaks of red behind, and began to rock into her picking up his pace stretching her out.

"So tight and wet for me," he groaned, turning her jaw to his direction, "only for me."

"Only- _oh_ \- for you." she cried out.

He thrust deeper and deeper into her as she rolled her eyes back in divine ecstasy as he instantly became rougher adjusting to his proper length. They breathed heavily as she was chanting his name over and over again as if his name was a prayer. She felt faint with the only word able to voice out being Tom. Her whimpers and pleading made him lost in the moment, every doubt every suspicious he had about her at this time was completely gone. Merely filled with moaning chants she called for him and the pain of the burning nail marks in his back.

He let go of her throat and began to play with the carved breast, his fingers tracing over his name while he latched his tongue onto the other, sucking and swirling around it. He gently bit her nipple and laboriously dragged it out between his teeth before letting go.

"Tom," she breathlessly huffed, "I'm almost,"

"No. Not until I let you." After months of him trying to get her to bend her will, he took absolute control and pleasure of this moment. To have her follow his command as she earnestly begged and cried hysterically for release. He wasn't going to end it so easily.

He felt her tighten around him as she desperately tried holding herself back.

"Please...I can't, _ohhh_ ," she yelped as he thrust harder, intentionally hitting a sensitive spot inside, "hold it anymore." she buried her teeth into his forearm that was holding himself up beside her head.

" _Lyra_ ," he moaned out at her actions; he was nowhere near the amount of pain she was but relished in it. "Bite harder," he demanded fiercely. She dug her teeth in even deeper as he noted lines of blood releasing from the edge of her lips. The direct action itself made him almost reach his climax.

"Come for me Lyra." she pulled her lips off his arm and reached for a kiss. He dipped his head down latching to her lips in a deep kiss, missing the softness of them.

She arched her back as she moaned in his mouth hopelessly mixed with own as he thrust one last time finishing inside of her. He plopped down on top of her the two breathlessly not able to move for a few seconds covered in sweat. Tom gathered up his strength and withdrew himself from her, both hissing from the pain, and rolled next to her. His hand twisting his hair back with the other on his chest staring up to the ceiling.

He looked over to see Lyra encountering him on her side asleep from the exhaustion and felt satisfied, smirking to himself.

He grabbed her wand that was placed on her nightstand and cast a charm to properly clean off the blood around her lips but left the ones on her breast untouched, no he wanted those to stay there as a reminder.

Tom set her wand back and pulled the covers over them as he fell asleep wrapping his arms around her and pulled her against him with his head resting comfortably on top of hers.

Innocently they both fell asleep unaware of the everlasting hell about to rain down on them very...very soon.


	32. Chapter 32

_"You're making a mistake!" the voices overlapped each other._

_Lyra turned to see herself surrounded by the members of the order standing in the center of them as they wrapped around her._

_"Neville!" she ran towards him, but a barrier kept her apart, "Neville I'm so sorry I left, I didn't have time to tell you."_

_"You've killed us Lyra, You've doomed us all." he voiced out._

_"You've killed us all," they spoke in harmony._

_"Please I'm trying, I'm trying so hard but I can't remember!" she was screaming, pleading for them to understand, " I CAN'T REMEMBER, I can't remember," she kept murmuring it over and over again her head between her hands._

_The voices suddenly stopped as she looked up to follow Tom standing in front of her, "Tom." Lyra sighed with relief, but he pressed a ceremonial knife deep into her chest, noting her as she fell to her knees coughing up visible blood._

_"Why would you," she wheezed as the corrosive fluids engulfed her punctured lungs, "Why Tom?"_

_His frozen lifeless eyes connected her's as he crouched down, "You killed them all."_

She woke up screaming covered in freezing sweat as she tried to regain her breath, holding her chest in the area Tom had plunged a knife in her. Clumsily trying to understand the unknown meaning of her hellish nightmare.

Were they all dead?

Did she fail?

Lyra glanced to her side to discover she was alone, that Tom had departed from her sometime in the night.

6:00 AM.

She assumed to herself that he had left presumably for prefect rounds and bounced her head back onto the pillow. Her body ached all over as she desperately tried to sit upon the edge of her bed, a slight gasp left her lips as she viewed herself in the mirror, glancing at his name carved into her breast.

Instantly pulling open her nightstand drawer she took out the potion the two had made for Slughorns and placed one drop on each hand-carved letter quickly healing. Not even the entire vial could possibly help her at this point, her hips and thighs bruised with his hand marks, the teeth marks that spread across her chest and neck. Purple bruising once again wrapped around her neck with love bites present almost all over her body. As she stood, she hissed in pain caused by his violent thrusts.

Holding onto the wall she led herself to the bathroom to take a relaxing bath. A slight movement of her wrist turned on the tap and began filling the tub to her preferred temperature. Dipping her toe in just the slightest to make sure it was warm enough, she carefully lowered her whole body in, flinching at the water precisely targeting her body.

As she leaned her head back Lyra traced her lips with her finger, lost in a hypnotic state. The things she allowed him to do to her now made her question why she enjoyed it, moreover why she allowed it. It all just felt confusing to her, would they act like it never happened? Or would they sit down and have a conversation about it? She angrily groaned at her confusion and ducked her head down all the way inside the tub.

With the snap of her fingers, Lyra's hair was now dry, exiting the bathroom she saw that Tom had wrapped her dress and placed it on the chair. Walking over to the cupboard she pulled out a dressing gown and stood in front of the mirror dragging her wand around herself hiding the marks.

It was still too early for her to do anything, so she slipped back into bed, her hand hovering anxiously over the vacant spot next to her. She flinched as she heard someone vigorously knock on her door, "Lyra Lenkrov open this door." Alastor?

She unlocked it to be invariably greeted by Alastor shoving Alexander inside and slamming it merely shut. The three stood blinking at one another until she noticed the bruising on Alexander's neck and placed her hand over her lips concealing her smile. "Nice to see you semi-dressed this time Alexander. No, you two can't use my room again."

"We're fucked Lyra." Alastor voiced out holding his forehead.

She surveyed Alexander up and down, "Looks like one of us was." and laughed hysterically.

"We have a problem. I had the dorm to myself and well I don't have to explain to you what we were doing. But anyway as he was about to leave I heard a few people in the common room and can't sneak him out." Alastor clapped his hands together, "I know it's too much to ask but can we stay here until it's vacant."

"It's not too much to ask, of course you can stay. I was about to get dressed and grab breakfast."

"You? Get dressed and have breakfast at 6:20 AM?" Alexander slapped him in the chest at the remark and turned to Lyra, "What he means to say is thank you for letting us stay here."

She placed a hand over his shoulder with a grin, "If you two do anything funny in my bed I'll turn you both into ferrets."

The two laughed at her unusual threat, "No funny business I promise." Alexander spoke.

She required her uniform out of the cupboard and went into the restroom to get dressed and fix her appearance slightly. She found the two dear boys passed out on her bed with Alastor's gentle hands wrapped out Alexander and smiled while pulling the excellent covers over them.

Before heading to the great hall, she needed to stop by transfigurations hoping to catch Dumbledore and explain to him what happened last week. As she was close to the class she overheard two familiar voices talking to one another and slightly opened it to see Riddle standing with Frey on her knees in front of him.

She didn't see Lyra but Riddle did, his luminous eyes widened slightly pushing Frey to the floor. She let out a foolish laugh and leveled her eyes shaking her head before slamming the door shut.

What was she thinking? Just because they fucked that things would be different now.

It meant nothing.

Just like Harry just like Lestrange it meant nothing.

At the end of the hall, she could hear fast paces assuming it was Riddle and ducked her way into the library. Lyra sat uncomfortably at the library for what felt like hours and could no longer ignore her hunger. She groaned in agony slamming her head into the book before packing up and inevitably going to the great hall.

7:36 A.M.

She spotted Riddle and Frey sitting next to each other around the boys and sighed before sitting in between Nott and Alastor.

"I thought you were getting breakfast?" Alastor humbly asked.

"Had to stop by the library for homework." she glanced cautiously up to Riddle before quickly looking away.

"It's unlike you to be up so early," Nott placed his hand onto her bruised shoulder, "Rough night?"

"More like nightmares keeping me from sleep. I'm fine though." she smiled reassuringly eating her cereal.

Riddle didn't understand her coldness towards him, he reasonably presumed last night was of no considerable importance to her that she didn't care unlike him, and simply left her. Apparently, he was mistaken after she spot him with Frey in an uncomfortable position.

He wanted to run after her and adequately explain that Frey's actions were of her own, not of Riddles, but he wasn't going to chase her around the castle like some fool.

"Lyra," he called to her attention, causing the boys to jerk their heads towards him.

She instantly froze at the explicit mention of her name, not quite used to him calling her by her first. She gripped her spoon and with a forceful smile looked up to him.

"Tom." she instantly flashed with mild irritation.

"I need to talk to you about," he eyed the boys, "about the transfiguration assignment."

"No need I already understand it."

His anger spiked at the attitude she was throwing off, "Dumbledore informed me to catch you up after your apparent disappearance."

Lyra had picked up on what he really meant by the transfiguration assignment, he was talking about earlier. "I'm already caught up and perfectly recognize the mistake I committed."

_Mistake._

She sincerely believed last night meant nothing to him, as he believed that last night meant nothing to her. Clearly, there was an apparent lack of communication.

"You know at first I understood it, thought it was completely going well until there was this one part where it took me by surprise." she hummed while playing with her spoon.

"Then allow me to help you with it." he forced himself to smile.

"You'll probably confuse me as you did with the last assignment."

"Why do I have a feeling this isn't about homework?" Alastor whispered fearfully to Lyra.

"We had a transfiguration assignment? WHEN?" Nott yelled out right before Lyra placed a muffin in his mouth.

"Anyway Alastor and I have something to do before class, we'll see you there."

She grabbed him by the arm and hauled him out of the great hall. "What was that about?" he asked with his hands behind his back.

"Transfiguration? Like we were talking about."

He grinned wryly and threw an arm over her shoulder, "You know this glorious morning I was surprised to see your lovely dress ripped. I was also surprised when I saw this black little bow tie in the corner of your room."

Her anxious eyes widened as she nervously swallowed the lump in her throat, "I..."

"Also what surprised me was when you were walking around your dorm it seemed like you were limping."

"I fell yesterday on the dorm stairs."

"Or did someone by the familiar name of Tom Marvolo Riddle fall inside yo-" she slammed him into the wall concealing his humorous mouth while looking around.

"Okay fine." she set her hand down.

"Tell me everything! But you know not the slimy details of it." he silently clapped, "I knew it! I told you didn't I? God I'm so brilliant.

She deeply sighed, "We were arguing after leaving slug club and he kissed me. One moment I'm pressed against the wall, my legs bound around him, the next I'm in my dorm getting my dress ripped off. I thought it was good that we could talk about it in the morning, but he was gone when I woke up."

"You seem upset though? Oh, no was he bad in bed?"

She laughed and hit his arm, "Merlin no he was quite good at it." she smilingly shook at the fond memory of it, "But when I went to find him this morning he was with Frey in transfiguration."

"So?" he crossed his arms leaning comfortably against the cobblestone wall.

"Let me rephrase that, he was with Frey in transfiguration while she was on her knees."

"Ohhhh, now I see how that may be upsetting to one. Did you try talking to him about it?"

"Alastor," she crossed her arms, "and say what? Hey so cause we fucked does that typically mean you're only going to fuck me from now on?"

"Yes."

"You idiot!" she whacked him once again, "Let's go we're late."

"We're still talking about this later, don't think we're done!" he smiled.

They quickly walked over hurling themselves into the room to not lose any house points.

"Of course you two made it the last second," Avery exclaimed as Alastor and Lyra came in to take their seats.

"What are we doing?" She naturally asked.

"Slughorn's going to choose the random students to conjure a potion for this month," Nott satisfactorily answered.

She gently leaned her head on one hand playing with her quill by seamlessly moving it between her nimble fingers with the other.

_"Where did you go at breakfast?"_

She heard his voice pop in her head and looked at him with her brows scrunched together. Lyra realized he cast a mind communication spell, she could hear his thoughts but he couldn't hear hers. Muttering the same spell silently she drew her focused attention back to her quill.

" _We went for a walk Riddle."_

_"So it's back to Riddle now?"_

_"Enjoy your morning?" she innocently asked._

_He became frustratingly annoyed and thought to toy with her, try to see if he could induce a reaction out of her. "Yes, I did. Had a fascinating time with Frey," he smirked._

The moment he ceased that sentence she gaped at him with the most immense hazel eyes and slightly shifted her head, severing the connection. She intentionally blocked him out from reusing the spell.

"Clearwater and Lenkrov!" Slughorn selected the two students to conjure the potion.

Her steadying breath got caught in her throat as she was looking at Riddle. She balled her hands in a fist under the table, trying to voluntarily control her breathing. There's no way she would work with him, she'd rather fail the class. Riddle looked at her completely unamused at her sudden panic.

"Clearwater isn't here Professor." Septimus raised his hand to notify the class.

"Well then where is he, Mr.Weasley?"

"He and Adams were running around the castle at night and fell off the moving stairs. It's pretty bad they shattered a few bones." he finished off.

No, they didn't run around the castle late at night, no they didn't fall off the moving stairs. She softly looked at Riddle who was presently trying to not bear her eyes and recast the communication spell.

_"Tell me you didn't?"_

_He stayed silent._

_"Tom." she softly spoke out, "Did you?"_

_He huffed in mild annoyance, "Yes."_

He looked up to her thinking he'd discover her in a state of anger and fury, but no, her sensual lips slightly parted, her eyebrows raised with the utmost look of sincerity in her eyes. God, she was beautiful.

_"How many times can the same students have a quidditch accident?" she vaguely smiled._

_He voluntarily returned one back before making sure no one was watching, "They fell off the moving stairs after curfew, not a quidditch accident."_

The connection broke as Slughorn decided to announce two other students randomly. "Miss Lenkrov, would you be so kind and grab me the billywig wings from the back?"

"Of course Professor." She stood up and instantly found the billywig wings and placed them on the desk that was in front of the class. When she reached her table something felt wrong. Lyra placed her hand over her chest at the feeling of a slight pain whenever she breathed.

The pain became considerably intenser with a few more breaths, as leaned over the table with one hand the pain spread out to her entire chest.

"Lyra are you alright?" Riddle asked as he stood up from his chair slowly walking towards her.

"Tom...it hurts..." She coughed up blood onto the table just before her eyes rolled back into her head vigorously shaking until she felt frail and dropped.

Riddle caught her before she plopped to the ground, "Professor she's having a seizure !" he shifted her to her side, blood and white foam oozing from her mouth severely shaking at a horrifying rate. Nott and Alastor instantly tended to her side as students walked close to witness what was happening.

"Bez..." she desperately tried to speak out, "Bezoa-" Lyra began to wheeze, unable to breathe. Her punctured lungs felt as if they were being repeatedly stabbed while someone sat on her sunken chest. Her mouth felt parched and sore with her jaw locked. Lyra couldn't apprehend those around her only a harsh ringing sound erupted throughout her mind.

"I think she's trying to say Bezoar, she's been poisoned." Slughorn didn't finish his sentence yet and Riddle had already ran to grab the bezoar, holding her sore jaw open he forced it down her mouth as he held it for her to swallow.

Lyra stopped shaking as the stone was swallowed, she didn't move, her eyes were closed but the blood and foam stopped flowing. Riddle became unduly worried at her unresponsive state, "Professor shouldn't she be alright by now?"

Slughorn bent down to her left side. Lyra's head was placed on Alastors lap as Riddle was on her right side, he reached his pointer and index finger on the nape of her neck.

He stood up, his grave face completely washed white, leaning against the table while wiping away the profuse sweat on his forehead.

"Professor say she's going to be alright!" Alastor yelled.

"Call Nurse Podmore immediately," he properly spoke to a student who rushed out.

He couldn't detect her heartbeat. The faint realization hit him but not to those around him.

Lyra was dead.


End file.
